Thank you for your interest in The Interconnect Group and our blog spot! My name is Daniel White and I am a IT Service Consultant. I handle all the IT needs for our business customers as well as specializing in off site backups. I am also the main research coordinator for all projects and new product lines for The Interconnect Group. I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Systems and a Minor in Computer Science from Ball State. I currently hold several Microsoft 2000/2003 Server certifications (MCSE) in addition to Net+, Server+, A+ and Security+ certifications. Thank you for visiting my blog, and I look forward to your comments. Thank you for your interest in The Interconnect Group and our blog spot! My name is Daniel White and I am a IT Service Consultant. I handle all the IT needs for our business customers as well as specializing in off site backups. I am also the main research coordinator for all projects and new product lines for The Interconnect Group. I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Systems and a Minor in Computer Science from Ball State. I currently hold several Microsoft 2000/2003 Server certifications (MCSE) in addition to Net+, Server+, A+ and Security+ certifications. Thank you for visiting my blog, and I look forward to your comments. 
BlackBerry phones are becoming less and less prevalent in the small business market. Historically, Blackberry phones offered the benefit of securely accesing enterprise class Microsoft Exchange e-mail servers. The cost of adding the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) application t your Microsoft Exchange server is typically cost prohibitive for the small business market. Rival phone products like Windows Mobile 7, Apple Iphone, and Android phones have greatly improved thier capabilities in accessing business resources such as Microsoft Exchange based e-mail. The most major difference is that most of the rivals offer similar functionality as Blackberry, but for free. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server features that aid in phone integration and security are unmatched by any competitor, but at the entry cost of over a thousand dollars and a per user license fee of one hundred dollars. Many small business users are tranistioning to rival products once contracts expire due mainly to the total cost of ownership of the Blackberry Enterprise Server solution.BlackBerry now offers the free option called the BlackBerry Enterprise Express Server which fills this market segment. The BlackBerry Enterprise Express Server still retains most of the important features (listed below) for up to two thousand users at no additional charge. BES Express works with Microsoft Exchange 2010, 2007 and 2003 and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2008 and 2003. With this new software connected to your servers, your employees' BlackBerry smartphones will be able to do the following:
· Wirelessly synchronize their email, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks.
· Manage email folders and search email on the mail server remotely.
· Book meetings and appointments, check availability and forward calendar attachments
· Set an out-of-office reply.
· Edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files using Documents To Go.
· Access files stored on the company network.
· Use mobile applications to access business systems behind the firewall.
For IT administrators, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express also offers:
· Runs on the same physical or virtual server as the Microsoft mail server or on its own server.
· BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is also certified for use with VMware ESX
· Over 35 IT controls and policies, including the ability to remotely wipe a smartphone and enforce and reset passwords.
· A Web-based interface that allows remote administration and makes it easy to install the software, connect BlackBerry smartphones and apply usage policies.
For more information on our Blackberry server configuration service in Indiana and business phone support please call us at 317-831-0704. We also provide BlackBerry server troubleshooting services for our Indiana clients.
Phishing is a method that criminals use to steal your personal data, typically with fake websites and e-mails. This information is used to steal your identity or even used to break into your small business IT network. The common problems associated with phishing attacks are banking websites being broken into, email passwords stolen, and business network servers being infiltrated. A way to protect yourself from this problem is a mixture of protection software, and a little training to help you spot a phishing web site.
Here are some simple clues to help you spot a phishing website.
- Look for evidence of a real-world presence: an address, a phone number, an email contact. If in doubt, send an email, make a phone call or write a letter to establish whether they really exist.
- The website’s address is different from what you are used to, perhaps there are extra characters or words in it or it uses a completely different name or no name at all, just numbers.
- Even though you are asked to enter private information there is NO padlock in the browser window or ‘https://’ at the beginning of the web address to signify that it is using a secure link and that the site is what it says it is.
- A request for personal information such as user name, password or other security details IN FULL, when you are normally only asked for SOME of them.
- Although rare, it is possible for your computer to be corrupted by viruses in such a way that you can type a legitimate website address into your browser and still end up at a fake site. This problem is known as 'pharming'. Check the address in your browser's address bar after you arrive at a website to make sure it matches the address you typed. Subtle changes ('eebay' instead of 'ebay' for example) may indicate that your computer is a victim of a pharming attack.
Here are some helpful tips to help keep your computer safe from phishing websites.
- Make sure that all your antivirus software is update.
- Have the newest of your web browser, both Internet Explorer and Firefox have a anti phishing website filter.
- Also have your antivirus software up to date.
If you have any question please call The Ineterconnect Group computer help desk support and 317-831-0704 EXT 1 or you can call the business phone support line at 317-831-0704 EXT 2.
If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:
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- Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products
- Benefits of Volume Licensing
- 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
- 5 More Features of Windows 7
- Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
Working in a IT Networking Support company we get excited when a new verson of Microsoft Office Suite comes out. Coming June 5th of this year, Office 2010 will be the new office suite to help with your business and home document needs.
Easer Screen Shots
New feature in Word 2010 — the ability to capture screenshots from inside the application and paste them into the document, all in a couple of clicks. The Screenshot button has been added to the Insert tab of the Ribbon.
Easer Screen Shots
New feature in Word 2010 — the ability to capture screenshots from inside the application and paste them into the document, all in a couple of clicks. The Screenshot button has been added to the Insert tab of the Ribbon.
Inserting screenshots into Word is easier than ever.
When you click the Screenshot button, you’ll see the available screenshots, and you can click on the one you want to insert into the document. After you insert a screenshot, the picture tools will automatically appear to allow you to perform photo editing.
Open in Protected View
When you open an existing document for the first time in Word 2010, if you try to start editing it, you may be surprised to find that nothing happens. If you look more closely, you’ll see that the Ribbon is hidden and that the document has opened in Protected View.
As you can see, a red box across the top of the document notifies you that you’re in Protected View and tells you that the file originated from an Internet location. This gives you the opportunity to determine whether it’s safe to open. If you click the Enable Editing button, the document downloads, the Ribbon appears, and you can make changes to the document as usual.
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Did you know that you could jeopardize you business network by just surfing your favorite web sites? A drive-by download is a method of attacking user computers by just visiting viruses infected web sites. While you are reading that web page, you really may be download spyware, a virus or maleware all beknown to the user. Drive-by downloads may happen by visiting a website, viewing an e-mail message or by clicking on a deceptive popup window. The user clicks on the window with the mistaken belief that, for instance, it is an error report from his own PC trying to trick the user into downloading and installing a malicious program. If this is a frequent occurence at your business, then inquire with our Business Computer Network Support professionals to come up with a protection strategy for your business network.
Facts about Drive-by Downloads
- Almost 3 billion vulnerable applications are installed on PCs in the U.S.
- 80% of all “drive-by downloads" are from legitimate sites like MLB.com, FOXNews.com, CBS.com and others.
- More and more of these viruses are now coming from social media web sites like Facebook, My Space, Twitter and others.
The best offence against these threats is a good defense. It always good to make sure that your computer has ran all its updates and that your antvirus is fully updated. If you do not have a good antivirus program installed, then there are several programs to chose from like Kaspersky AntiVirus, Symantec, and many others. We mainly recommend the Kaspersky product to our clients. Remain mindful of what you open when your are on the Internet, even on familiar websites. If there is a pop-up that appears and you are not sure of its origins, then do not let it run.
If you are concerned about your business computer network, then contact one of our Computer Support Indianapolis professional to help assist you in implementing the correct security strategy for your network.
If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:
Thanks to new products from Oracle, small business now have powerful corporate class products to help run their business. We are excited to offer these new products to help our Indianapolis IT Support client's grow their business. Oracle Database 11G Standard is an affordable, full-featured database product for small business to run enterprise class systems. Database 11G is easy to manage and can grow to fit anyone’s need for now and into the future.
- Share Accurate Information—Enables customers, employees, partners, and suppliers to share accurate and up-to-date information
- Share Business Processes—Shares business processes with key stakeholders, resulting in competitive advantages
- Add and Configure Content—Allows both programmers and end users to create, configure, and add content to portal pages
- One Capture System for all Content Types—Identify, capture, and convert paper and electronic documents (Word, Excel, PDFs, etc.) into viable image formats
- Automated Indexing Options—Streamline document indexing via database linking, database linked pick lists, optical character recognition (OCR), and bar code recognition
- Increased Document Processing Efficiency—Ensure a fast and efficient capture process with production-level document scanning and indexing
Our goal is not to try to persuade Indianapolis IT Support clients to run out and convert all of their Microsoft SQL Server database to Oracle, event that would make our Oracle representative very happy. We are also a Microsoft shop, so are very able to help our client weight the pros/cons between one vendor or the other. If your company does not currently use a database, but due to growth and efficiency reasons needs to implement a database solution then check out Oracle's One Click suite of products. The Interconnect Group has the expertise to offer and implement turn-key solutions to meet the demands of today's IT Support for Small Business customers. Contact us today if you are interested in learning more about how these and other Oracle products can help your business grow.
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Are you kind of good with computers and want to take your skills to the next level? With Microsoft Visual Studio Express you can use free tools and get free training to make windows programs, web sites, video games, and even Facebook applications. If you are interested in computer support Indianapolis, then you should check this out.
Download free software and tools to help you get started at http://www.microsoft.com/express/default.aspx
Also don't forget to go http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/default.aspx for free class and videos to help you along the way.
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- 5 More Features of Windows 7
- Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
Kaspersky Business Space Security is an all in on one security suite for workstations, 
smart phones, and servers. It helps prevent virus attacks while also keeping your information safe and secure. This is a great product for people with many different devices on their network. We've been recommending it in our Indianapolis IT Support practice for some time. Instead of buying several different products like many computer support Indiana people do, they can just buy one product to help protect both their network and all devices. Other features included:
smart phones, and servers. It helps prevent virus attacks while also keeping your information safe and secure. This is a great product for people with many different devices on their network. We've been recommending it in our Indianapolis IT Support practice for some time. Instead of buying several different products like many computer support Indiana people do, they can just buy one product to help protect both their network and all devices. Other features included:- E-mail scanning to check e-mail for threats in e-mail before you read them.
- Personal firewall protection for computers including protection from threats over a wireless network.
- Full support for 64-bit systems.
- Centralized management to help monitor end users and start remote installations.
So next time you are considering buying a security software product, please consider Kaspersky and enjoy the total benefits it brings. Call us today (317) 831-0704 Option #2 to setup a trial or to get a quote. If you are tired of your IT systems being bogged down by security products that are hard to manage, then call to speak to our Indianapolis IT Support team today and well introduce you to the Kaspersky Business Space Security product.
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When buying equipment for offices, some companies commonly over look the high price of software. The price of the computer hardware is traditionally trumped by the price of software such as Microsoft Office, Anti Virus Protection, and Company Specific Software. Compound that cost ratio by purchasing several computers at the same time and it very quickly becomes a significant line item. One way to combat this is through the use of volume licensing to help companies manages software and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). We often play the role of educator for our Network Support Services clients and software is a significant addition to our new computer support Indianapolis client curriculum.
Volume licensing is an alternative method of buying software in volume from vendors as opposed to buying retail box copies of software or OEM. Common applications are operating systems, anti virus, Microsoft Office, Adobe and other production packages. We commonly help our Network Support Services clients realize the following advantages of volume licensing:
Volume Discounts
Buying from retail stores or buying retail box copies costs more! A copy of Microsoft Office for business users can cost $499. If the same software is bought via volume licensing, then it would cost $456. Volume licensing get even cheaper with higher numbers of users and computers.
Transferability
Volume licenses are transferable between machines. Unlike OEM copies which die with the computer, volume licenses do not. Many businesses or government/educational entities replace hardware every three years. If volume licenses were purchased, then that company could legally transfer the software license to the new machine. We find many small businesses buy OEM copies of software when they purchase the hardware from Tier 1 hardware distributors. For some people who use laptops, that cycle might even be shorter, which means in either case that the owner is paying multiple times for the same software package when they could have saved that money by going with volume licensing.
Spread Pay Option
For purchases greater than five units with some Microsoft products and larger quantities for other packages, you can opt for spread payment options that run for three years to help minimize the impact to cash flow. This benefit helps even the larger of our computer support Indianapolis clients.
One Product Key
Instead of having a different key for every product on every computer, you are given a single license key to use. Using one key will help administrators and owners use and maintain there software licenses. In our Network Support Services practice, we have found this to be very helpful because owners typical have better things to concern them with than keeping track of software license keys.
License Safety
Companies like Microsoft as wells as other vendors have tools to help the end user keep track of who is using the software. This is to aid the client in preventing internal theft of copies typically being used for non-business use.
So next time you are considering buying software, please consider volume licensing and enjoy some of the benefits it brings. For most common Microsoft products, volume licensing qualifies in quantities as low as five units, which would allow even some of the smaller businesses to qualify.
If you liked this Blog Post, then check out other IT Related Posts:
Volume licensing is an alternative method of buying software in volume from vendors as opposed to buying retail box copies of software or OEM. Common applications are operating systems, anti virus, Microsoft Office, Adobe and other production packages. We commonly help our Network Support Services clients realize the following advantages of volume licensing:
Volume Discounts
Buying from retail stores or buying retail box copies costs more! A copy of Microsoft Office for business users can cost $499. If the same software is bought via volume licensing, then it would cost $456. Volume licensing get even cheaper with higher numbers of users and computers.
Transferability
Volume licenses are transferable between machines. Unlike OEM copies which die with the computer, volume licenses do not. Many businesses or government/educational entities replace hardware every three years. If volume licenses were purchased, then that company could legally transfer the software license to the new machine. We find many small businesses buy OEM copies of software when they purchase the hardware from Tier 1 hardware distributors. For some people who use laptops, that cycle might even be shorter, which means in either case that the owner is paying multiple times for the same software package when they could have saved that money by going with volume licensing.
Spread Pay Option
For purchases greater than five units with some Microsoft products and larger quantities for other packages, you can opt for spread payment options that run for three years to help minimize the impact to cash flow. This benefit helps even the larger of our computer support Indianapolis clients.
One Product Key
Instead of having a different key for every product on every computer, you are given a single license key to use. Using one key will help administrators and owners use and maintain there software licenses. In our Network Support Services practice, we have found this to be very helpful because owners typical have better things to concern them with than keeping track of software license keys.
License Safety
Companies like Microsoft as wells as other vendors have tools to help the end user keep track of who is using the software. This is to aid the client in preventing internal theft of copies typically being used for non-business use.
So next time you are considering buying software, please consider volume licensing and enjoy some of the benefits it brings. For most common Microsoft products, volume licensing qualifies in quantities as low as five units, which would allow even some of the smaller businesses to qualify.
If you liked this Blog Post, then check out other IT Related Posts:
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- Doesn't The Phone Company Extend The Demarc
- 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
- Don't Over Pay For Your Router and Network Hardware
- 5 More Features of Windows 7
- Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
With the launch of Windows 7, Microsoft has addressed a problem plaguing them since the release of Windows Vista which is compatibly with legacy programs. I've seen this a lot in our Indianapolis IT Support practice where clients use database driven accounting programs and are hesitant to upgrade due to compatibility issues. Programs that have not been updated to run on the newer operating systems have held back businesses from upgrading systems while leaving them open to security risk from using outdated operating systems.
To fix this, Microsoft implemented a new feature called Windows XP Mode. It is a free add in with the new Windows 7 operating system. Windows XP Mode is only available in Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate editions. Your computer processor is also required to have virtualization technology capability built in. Windows XP Mode is actually a streamlined copy of Windows XP running in the background that is optimized for Windows 7. It offers the capability of running older non-Windows 7 compatible software. After XP Mode is started, you'll just install your programs, close XP mode and your programs will appear in the start bar in Windows 7 with XP Mode in parenthesis next to it. I helped my brother implement this on his machine to allow him to run an older version of Photo Shop Elements on his Windows 7 machine and it worked great. As you can see, this feature is not only a benefit to the business segment, but will also benefit consumer based computer support Indianapolis clients. I can already see many applications where this will benefit my Indianapolis IT Support clients and allow them to move into the Windows 7 platform.
To download Windows XP Mode click here:
Windows XP Mode Download
From there you will find the instructions to download and use Windows XP Mode. There is also links from AMD and Intel to help determine if you computer processor is compatible with the Windows XP Mode software. If your processor is not compatible with the Windows XP Mode software, then you can use the links to help find one that would be compatible.
For help using Windows XP Mode or if you are interested in a quote for a computer with Windows XP Mode capabilities, then I encourage any Indianapolis IT Support clients to give us a call at (317) 831-0704 EXT 2.
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To fix this, Microsoft implemented a new feature called Windows XP Mode. It is a free add in with the new Windows 7 operating system. Windows XP Mode is only available in Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate editions. Your computer processor is also required to have virtualization technology capability built in. Windows XP Mode is actually a streamlined copy of Windows XP running in the background that is optimized for Windows 7. It offers the capability of running older non-Windows 7 compatible software. After XP Mode is started, you'll just install your programs, close XP mode and your programs will appear in the start bar in Windows 7 with XP Mode in parenthesis next to it. I helped my brother implement this on his machine to allow him to run an older version of Photo Shop Elements on his Windows 7 machine and it worked great. As you can see, this feature is not only a benefit to the business segment, but will also benefit consumer based computer support Indianapolis clients. I can already see many applications where this will benefit my Indianapolis IT Support clients and allow them to move into the Windows 7 platform.
To download Windows XP Mode click here:
Windows XP Mode Download
From there you will find the instructions to download and use Windows XP Mode. There is also links from AMD and Intel to help determine if you computer processor is compatible with the Windows XP Mode software. If your processor is not compatible with the Windows XP Mode software, then you can use the links to help find one that would be compatible.
For help using Windows XP Mode or if you are interested in a quote for a computer with Windows XP Mode capabilities, then I encourage any Indianapolis IT Support clients to give us a call at (317) 831-0704 EXT 2.
If you liked this Blog Post, then check out other IT Related Posts:
- 5 Reasons To Deploy a Small Business Server
- Doesn't The Phone Company Extend The Demarc
- 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
- Don't Over Pay For Your Router and Network Hardware
- 5 More Features of Windows 7
- Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
Looking for a good free antivirus for your home or business IT network, then look no further than Microsoft Security Essentials. The product can be downloaded free at Microsoft Security Essentials site. I have it installed on a few machines in our virus removal Indiana office. It already has flagged a few security issue not found by my version of Symantec Antivirus 2009.
Microsoft Security Essentials is a free Antivirus that is simple to install, and always kept up to date so you can easily and effectively protect your PC for free from Microsoft. Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your computer the way you want, without interruptions or long computer wait times.
Microsoft Security Essentials uses a easy to read interface that used color sceams to help easily identify which state the system is in. Green means the system if fully protected. Orange means the system if potentially unprotected since there is a minor problem. Red means there has been a infection found and the system is currently unprotected. The software helps you easily fix problems that occur to insure that you will be running safely with just a few mouse clicks. The easy to use promptes help you quickly work on virus infected computer repair work.
So go ahead and give it a try today by downloading it at Micrsoft's Security Essentials Webpage or talk to you local virus infected computer repair shop.
There are no up front costs nor virus definition subscription costs for Microsoft Security Essentials. It is totally free!
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Microsoft Security Essentials is a free Antivirus that is simple to install, and always kept up to date so you can easily and effectively protect your PC for free from Microsoft. Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your computer the way you want, without interruptions or long computer wait times.
Microsoft Security Essentials uses a easy to read interface that used color sceams to help easily identify which state the system is in. Green means the system if fully protected. Orange means the system if potentially unprotected since there is a minor problem. Red means there has been a infection found and the system is currently unprotected. The software helps you easily fix problems that occur to insure that you will be running safely with just a few mouse clicks. The easy to use promptes help you quickly work on virus infected computer repair work.
So go ahead and give it a try today by downloading it at Micrsoft's Security Essentials Webpage or talk to you local virus infected computer repair shop.
There are no up front costs nor virus definition subscription costs for Microsoft Security Essentials. It is totally free!
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Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 is Microsoft’s server offering for small businesses with up to 75 users. It is an all-in-one solution for businesses to use without having to buy several servers and operating systems to achieve their goals. With easy install and maintenance it is a good choice for businesses that need high end e-mail systems, storage, and web hosting capabilities but do not want to spend a lot of money in full-time IT resources.
Microsoft Small Business Server is a great IT Solution for companies currently growing their current workgrouped IT configuration and are looking for advanced features for their business network such as:
Centralize Your Data
Small Business Server 2008 takes the guess work out of sharing and managing data with an easy to use management interface to help control your data.
Protect Your Data
Small Business Server 2008 comes with built in virus protection for 120 days and a easy to use backup system, to help protect your data from virus and accidental loss.
Remote Worker Solutions
Small Business Server 2008 has great that aid remote worker solutions which let users do their work from home or on the road with Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Share Point Services.
Easy Setup
Small Business Server 2008 has a very easy walk through navigation for installation and maintenance. Small Business Server 2008 also works well with any computer network setup to make your firsts days of use great.
For more information please call our office at 317-831-0407 or e-mail us at bizsupport@tincg.com
Microsoft Small Business Server is a great IT Solution for companies currently growing their current workgrouped IT configuration and are looking for advanced features for their business network such as:
- Centralized storage to better manage files.
- Better user security to keep computers and data safe from outsiders.
- Printer sharing to centralize printing to one printer instead of having a printer at each desk.
- Remote worker solutions to help aid in secure access from outside the office.
Centralize Your Data
Small Business Server 2008 takes the guess work out of sharing and managing data with an easy to use management interface to help control your data.
Protect Your Data
Small Business Server 2008 comes with built in virus protection for 120 days and a easy to use backup system, to help protect your data from virus and accidental loss.
Remote Worker Solutions
Small Business Server 2008 has great that aid remote worker solutions which let users do their work from home or on the road with Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Share Point Services.
Easy Setup
Small Business Server 2008 has a very easy walk through navigation for installation and maintenance. Small Business Server 2008 also works well with any computer network setup to make your firsts days of use great.
For more information please call our office at 317-831-0407 or e-mail us at bizsupport@tincg.com
Tired of pressing Save As when you want to save a word document in the old 2003 format in Office 2007. Here is how!
To change this setting, click on the Office Button in the upper left hand corner.
Now click the Word Options button in the menu.
Click on the Save tab, and then change the drop-down menu for "Save files in this format" to be "Word 97-2003 Document".
I found through my business computer network support services that there are still many small to medium business that haven't upgraded to Office 2007. Now you won't accidentally send those clients the wrong format anymore.
If you would like more help with Microsoft Office 2007 Please call us at our IT Networking Support Line at 317-831-0704 Option 2, or call computer sales and support line on option 1 if you need any PC repair services.
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