Indianapolis IT Support

Now Serving Alaska! Small Business Networks that Work.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 by Chad Whaley

It is not every day that we design a small business network that plays a part in allowing a business owner to follow his personal and professional dreams, but I've been lucky enough to witness it. This client is headquartered in the Indianapolis area and until recently only had a satellite office near the East Coast. This past month, he opened a second office in Alaska which I know he had been planning on for some time. He'll be moving his family up shortly to live a life long dream of being a resident of Alaska.

Okay, so you are probably asking by now how small business network design and technology played a role in moving this man to Alaska. A couple years ago, the Interconnect Group, Inc (TINCG). designed a system that allows both local and remote workers to operate seamlessly. Utilizing Microsoft 2008 Small Business Server, Standard 2008 Server, and a Microsoft Terminal Services, he and his employees are able to remotely access their ERP system based on Oracle along with Microsoft Office via Terminal Services. At the time we designed and installed the system, moving to Alaska wasn't part of the plan or at least it was never discussed with us. If it was, I would have definitely used the whole obtaining a professional and personal dream "priceless" argument to get him to buy sooner....ha! ha! ha! I think the design has worked out much better than he initially thought.

He also utilizes a business class hosted VoIP Solution which allows him and all of his employees to have seamless communication between one another while not paying any toll charges when calling one another. More importantly, it allowed him to move to Alaska without missing a beat. Basically, moving his office consisted of moving his computer and Polycom desktop phone. Well, almost as easy. Internet was required, but we took care of that by remotely installing an Adtran NetVanta router to help secure the new data network while also allowing priority to all voice traffic. The hosted phone system allows his company to extend their client call coverage across multiple time zones which yields greater customer service and customer orders.

TINCG is very happy to be extending support to Alaska. We wish Norm and his family all the best and can't wait for our first on-site service call.

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Extension of our staff..

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 by TINCG Clients

We have used TINCG for about 5 or 6 years. Before we started working with Chad (and Daniel),we attempted to perform as much of our own IT support as possible. As a result,we experienced constant IT problems,which ultimately started to interfere with our aircraft parts distribution service. The TINCG team first worked to integrate a new IP phone system through SaveItNow,then within a year or so implemented a new Small Buisness Oracle Server,deployed to support our three seperate sales facilities. It is a relief to have phones that work,and an computer network that always functions when needed!

As business owner,I can tell you that TINCG is an excellent resource for your company, for the following reasons.

1) Technical Skills-We have yet to run across a technical problems with our IT network that Chad and Daniel couldnt handle.

2)Hardware-TINCG have been able to specifically recommend hardware,ranging from HP servers to power backups. TINCG installed an entire new rack with multiple servers.The network has performed exceedingly well,with Daniel remotely monitoring the health of our servers.

3) Software Implementation-TINCG was able to dig into industry specific software packages,and directly install and integrate these programs into our network. TINCG was of course well able to implement new Microsoft and Intuit products.

4) IP Phones-TINCG installed our PolyCom phone system,as well as or T1 feed.

Think of TINCG as your own IT department,you wont be dissapointed.

Name: Norman Chance
Company: Chance Aviation
City: Indianapolis
State: Indiana

Backups!: Why Backups Are Crucial In Todays Electronic World

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 by Britton Starr

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." -Benjamin Franklin

We've all heard this saying before. It addresses the fact that sometimes a little effort up front can save you from a world of trouble in the long run. I want to share with you about just such a situation. Today I'd like to compare this timeless quote to the world of PC Backup Solutions. While it may seem a little far-fetched at first glance, the comparison is quite valid. So why do I bring this topic up? Because if there is one thing I have learned in Computer Help Desk Support, it's that you should plan for the worst, even if you hope for the best.

Modern computers are incredibly complex. While a computer is meant to be as fault tolerant as possible, things can and will happen. Think about how we use our computers today. Banking, news, email, music libraries, taxes, homework, facebook, financing, photo storage, business correspondence, the list goes on and on. The problem is, if your computer fails you can lose everything. This is why in today's technologically dependent world, corporations aren't the only ones who need to think about backup solutions.

Reliable data backup can be a lifesaver, not to mention a sound investment. I once lost $600 worth of wedding photos, due to a hard drive crash. No red flags, no warnings. The data was just gone. Priceless memories, and part of my reputation as a freelancer lost because of a simple mechanical failure. Tax documents and massive music collections are just as vulnerable. Given the importance of such documents, even at home backups are a must. It's a lesson several of our Indianapolis IT Support customers have learned the hard way.

Let's put this in context of our quote. Our ounce of prevention is like our Backup strategy, being quite easy and rather affordable on the Indiana PC Repair customer. Solutions for a home PC can range from a USB Drive purchased for a few dollars use to back up key documents, to a robust and safe offsite backup available for a reasonable monthly fee. If we neglect these options however the results can be devastating. The loss of precious memories, the thousand dollar charges of advanced data recovery services, even potential financial or legal trouble. While some products like music may be purchased again, some documents are irreplacable and should be treated as such.

Clearly, we really are better off safe, rather than sorry.

In part two, which will be posted later this week, we'll look at the specific options and pricing we have available to help protect you and your valuable data. That's all for today. If you have any concerns about your computer's health, or feel it might be time for a tune up, please visit us for all your Computer Repair Mooresville needs.

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Virus Alert!! Make Sure You Are Protected!!

Monday, October 18, 2010 by Chad Whaley

The Interconnect Group, Inc. Blog - Virus Removal Indiana

On the way home the other night, I was listening to the Clark Howard radio show on 93.1 WIBC. In his Rip Off Alert segment, he spoke of the Zeus Trojan Virus which has gotten a lot of news coverage of late. As a provider of Computer Support Indiana services to both business and consumer clients, I found the segment very interesting.

Putting the technical discussion aside for a moment, I was surprised to learn how the law provided protection to individual victims that got hijacked but did not afford the same protection to business owners who got hijacked. As Clark Howard put it, the law assumes that the business owner has a "shared responsibility to protect against the loss." I would recommend all business owners, entrepreneurs, and contractors to read the Clark Howard article.

From a technical perspective, it reinforces the importance for computer support Indianapolis clients to remain vigilant with respect to computer security. If you do not currently have Indianapolis IT Support resources maintaining your computer security, then at the very least make sure you and your employees are doing the following:

Religiously Maintain Software Security Updates and Patches
Maintain Antivirus Updates and Run Scans Often
Implement a Strong Password Policy Company Wide
Minimize Computers from which Banking Accounts are Accessed

Although we have not personally seen anyone affected with the Zeus Trojan Virus, we have seen an increase of more intrusive infections over the past few weeks come in to our virus removal Indiana facility located in Mooresville, Indiana. No matter if you are a business owner or an individual user, make sure you have a good Antivirus product installed and up to date on all of your computers.

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Computer Boots Directly Into Safe Mode

Monday, May 31, 2010 by Brett Neal

Today I had a computer come in that when it was turned on, it went straight into safe mode repeatedly each time. I must say in all my time in PC Repair Indiana, today was the first time I had seen anything like this happen. If you ever run into this problem on Windows Vista, this is how you fix it.

Just go to Start, and type MSCONFIG and press enter. Then go to the boot tab. In the boot tab you will see an option on the lower, left hand corner. Uncheck "Safe Boot" and restart your computer. If that does not fix the issue you may need to take it to a Computer Support Indianapolis specialist. It could still be going into safe mode because of a virus, software, or hardware issue.

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New Features in Office 2010

Thursday, May 27, 2010 by Daniel White

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.

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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Drive-By Downloading

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 by Daniel White

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.

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What is a PCI Compliant Router?

Monday, April 5, 2010 by Chad Whaley

Is there such a thing as a PCI Compliant Router? No, not in the out of the box model sense of the question. The validity of how "PCI Compliant" a router is relates to the programming of the individual router as it pertains to securing the network.

First off, who needs to worry about having a PCI Compliant router? A good place to start is to ask yourself if your business accepts and/or stores credit card information. PCI stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), but most people just say "PCI" for short. To read more about the actual standard, I'll refer the readers to the Wikipedia article on "PCI Compliance".

If your business does accept credit cards or stores credit card information of clients, then the next stop would be to speak to your specific credit card processing company to see what they require. Some require compliance even if you only utilize a credit card swipe machine in the premise where others require it only if you are storing credit card information on a server or in a database application.

Once you have determined that your business location(s) is required to pass PCI Compliance testing, then your next step is to make sure you have a good business level router in place. I prefer using an ADTRAN router for this need, but as mentioned in the beginning, the level of PCI Compliance rests in programming of the router which most people will require a qualified Indianapolis IT Support professional to do.

In general, the router programming consists of closing open ports typically utilized by hackers to exploit the security of a network. Shutting down unnecessary and insecure services are also required. Making sure the router is running the most updated firmware and service version can also be a requirement. For instance during one PCI compliance project I worked on recently, the client utilized a router and firewall that was based on a Linux OS distribution. The testing agency hired by the credit card company kept failing the security test, because the version of the telnet service was outdated and considered a security risk. Unfortunately we were not able to update the telnet service version on this particular router, but we did manage to utilize more secure remote access methods which allowed us to shut down the externally facing telnet service, hence ultimately passing the security test. Eventhough access control lists (ACL) were utilized to protect the telnet service on the router, the testing agency required adding their tesing server to the ACL which forced a greater level of security in the end on the router.

The Interconnect Group - Is Your Network PCI Compliant?

Making a network PCI Compliant is a good step no matter if your particular credit card processor requires it or not. It is a sound, secure practice of making sure your particular network, servers, and devices are not vulnerable to know security risks. Good network security goes far beyond PCI Compliance, but it is always a good place to start.

Please contact us if you have been told by your credit card processing company that your network is required to be PCI Compliant. Our Indianapolis IT Support professionals can help your business achieve its PCI Compliance Indiana approval through proper router selection and programming.

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Making Technology Work In Your Business

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 by Chad Whaley

A few weeks ago, I took a break from my Indianapolis IT Support practice and attended a morning seminar hosted by Franklin Covey entitled "The 4 Disciplines of Execution". Although the event was a sales pitch for Franklin Covey's consulting services, I felt the speakers did a great job of providing a great balance of useful information with sales pitch for their system. In other words, it was well worth my time.

In addition to taking away a few pointers on goal setting, leading and lagging measures, and setting accountability, I noted that they had a software program that they recommended using to track and follow their system throughout their consulting engagement. This interested me because it reinforced an idea that technology, specifically IT technology, can be helpful at all levels of organizations. It can even help organizations set and achieve goals when implemented correctly. I doubt however, that the technology alone would make a client successful. It was only one piece to a proven system that Franklin Covey was offering which in it's entirety benefited their clients tremendously according to their statistics.

Does technology work for your business or organization? Too often I've seen technology or the lack of technology work against prospective clients. Instead, organizations often cobble together several systems that inefficiently meet their needs, but often restrains growth. We've come across small business server Indiana clients using their server technology as a glorified desktop due to a lack of understanding of capability.

I believe in a "solutions" approach to technology. When I say solutions, I mean hardware, software and human interaction to help implement technology that will solve business problems or provide a foundation to enhance efficiency or improve sales. Some common technology solutions:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System
Trouble Ticket System
Business Intelligence Management System
Corporate Wikipedia
Call Center Management/Reporting System

Most of the five things bulleted above require a mixture of hardware and software to be implemented, but more importantly they require engagement and buy in from both users and management to actually work. The most expensive CRM system in the world is worthless if people do not enter, track and utilize the information stored in it. I often find it is the human factor that determines if a new technology implementation is going to be a success.

Depending on the size of your organization, I recommend including someone from both management and the front lines of your organization to work in conjunction on the planning and implementation of new technology. Make sure that the new technology being implemented is one component to implementing a new solution to a common small business problem.

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Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out of Hand?

Monday, February 8, 2010 by Chad Whaley

The Interconnect Group - Rack Gone Wild Before Picture

Does your IT Rack look similar to this?

If your computer network wiring has gotten out of hand, then it is time to do something about it.

These are before and after pictures of a job we recently completed. Cleaning up this rack is a first of few steps to enable this client to upgrade other technology later this year.

We actually enjoy doing these types of projects because they are short in duration but maximize the noticeable and immediate impact.

How is it done? Well, there are several cable management products on the market, but in my opinion the "Neat Patch" offers the best solution that I've found when coupled with other vertical cable management solutions.

With respect to this project, we had to work around some existing cable management systems that we had to leave in place at one location due to being part of the punch down network. However, we blended it in so it looks like it is meant to be.

The Interconnect Group - Another Neat Rack Project Done

We also added some very inexpensive rack shelves to help distribute the equipment throughout the rack. A multiple outlet power strip mounted in the rack also got rid of the need for a few power strips that were laying on the floor.

Although it is hard to note from just the picture, we labeled each cable to/from port so that in the event that a cable does get removed, it can easily replaced into its proper location. We also opted to replace the over sized (in length) blue cables to correctly sized yellow patch cables.

We completed this job in one evening as not to impact the clients business day. The organization now allows for easy troubleshooting while not intimidating the staff that need to come into this room for other reasons. Future additions to the equipment rack can be made without worrying about disrupting other operational equipment.

If your computer network wiring has gotten out of hand, then it is time to tame it. With a little planning, some creative but affordable cable management add-ons and some old fashion elbow grease, you can claim your IT space back to a more organized area. Your Indianapolis IT Support firm will be very happy because it makes their ability to support you much easier.

If you are interested in having The Interconnect Group tame your IT rack, then please contact us today at (317) 831-0704 Option 2 or email bizsupport@tincg.com.

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Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products

Friday, January 22, 2010 by Daniel White

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

Oracle Document Capture is a software system to help users capture printed or received content (ie. documents and faxes) into electronic content with searchable/inkless tags imposed on top of the document for searching and indexing reasons. It has a user-friendly web interface. This product also integrates easy with other Oracle products such as Database 11G to store, retrieve and archive the content. Other features include.

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

Oracle Application Express(APEX) is a software development environment. You can easily make web based programs with little training or setup. Application Express also comes with pre made templates such as Timesheets, Asset Manager, Loan Calculator and Online Stores.

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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Free Programming Tools and Training from Microsoft

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 by Daniel White

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.

We do our best to inform our computer support Indiana clients about information like this as well as other useful information related to computing all the time. Check out all of our blogs at The Interconnect Group blog site for more helpful computer support Indiana tips. Happy computing!

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Implementing The Right Backup Strategy

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 by Chad Whaley

We frequently field calls from new clients who are calling us because they just lost all of their data due to a hard drive crash, laptop theft, or even the occasional natural disaster (ie. Flood, Tornado, or Fire). Being that data loss is very preventable, I constantly try to educate everyone on ways to avoid it. If you do not have a backup strategy in place today, please implement one immediately upon reading this because it is only a matter of time before it will happen to you, if it hasn't already. I've listed key components that everyone should consider or include in a backup strategy.

Major Components of any Backup Strategy

"To Error Is Human" - The first line of defense against what I refer to as the "Oopps Factor". In my experience, a major portion of data loss is due to someone deleting the wrong thing accidentally. There are tools built into Windows 7 to help with this, but the best recovery strategy is having a backup to restore files from. This can be as simple as a single file, spreadsheet or email being accidentally deleted to a whole directory of important files. There have been countless times that our computer support Indianapolis clients have called us to rescue key files.

"Planning for Business Continuity is Smart" - The buzz phrase of the last few years has been "Business Continuity". If you've had anyone sell you on a hosted application or cloud computing, you've undoubtedly heard this buzz phrase. It is referring to the ability for your business to continue operating without requiring a specific physical structure (your current store front or office location) or physical hardware/software. We are big components of a Hosted PBX system that we integrate for some of our Indiana Telecommunications Provider Partners. It helps with Business Continuity because calls can be rerouted in real time to any phone number in the world with a few simple clicks within the portal. A good backup strategy should allow for business continuity in the same way. A remote backup strategy fits the bill. This is why we recommend a Remote Offsite Backup strategy to all of our computer support Indianapolis clients.

"Know the Limitations of Your Key Applications" - A thorough knowledge of key business software applications should be factored into any backup strategy. Certain applications, especially database driven ones, may require special steps to be properly be backed up. In other words, just backing up the physical files might not be enough.

"Servers Require Special Care" - If your company is running on a server, then additional steps many need to be taken to properly backup everything. This can range from a system state file to the Exchange store and log files. Typically, special plug-ins or software are required. The backup solution we use for most of our Indianapolis IT Support clients is Exchange aware as well as being able to handle most major databases. These are key requirements in my opinion.

In Review

I will admit that more and more people are growing aware of data loss and the fact that it is a very real threat to business and personal lives. All data loss can't be avoided, but at the very least its impact should be minimized with a good backup strategy. If you do not have a good backup strategy in place, then please make one today. If you own or operate a business, then ask an Indianapolis IT Support firm such as The Interconnect Group to help you create/implement one. If you are in need of a backup strategy for your personal data at home, then please read a blog I wrote last year regarding 10 Handy and Free Software Programs in which I listed a free backup service for consumers. At the very least backup key documents and files to an external hard drive or USB drive while you're implementing a proper backup strategy.

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Protect your whole network with Kaspersky Business Space Security

Monday, January 18, 2010 by Daniel White

Kaspersky Business Space Security is an all in on one security suite for workstations,

IT Support Indianapolis - Kaspersky Business Space Security

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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Benefits of Volume Licensing

Monday, December 14, 2009 by Daniel White

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.

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Windows XP Mode in Windows 7

Monday, November 16, 2009 by Daniel White

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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Alternative Connectivity Solutions

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 by Chad Whaley

Does your company have multiple facilities within a few miles of each other that require data/voice communication connectivity between them?

I've come across several situations where companies opt to pay reoccurring monthly fees to the local Telco carrier for a Point-to-Point (PtP) T1, because they most likely didn't know of other solutions available to them. Although one solution does not fit all, I wanted to make you aware of some alternative connectivity solutions which saved our clients several thousand dollars over traditional carrier connectivity products.

Private PtP Wireless Network Solutions

My wireless network solutions Indiana consulting and implementation practice takes proven, carrier grade wireless network solutions to the business market. One project we did last year helped a manufacturing plant in Indianapolis connect their sales office to the main building located 3/4 mile away. A PtP T1 from the phone company would have cost them $350-450/month for a 36 month term and would have only yielded them 1.5 Mbps upload and download speeds. The PtP wireless solution we implemented for them provided 20-25 Mbps of upload and download speeds at a 35% cost reduction over the same 36 month term. At month 37, the PtP wireless system is paid for minus normal maintenance, so our client's Return on Investment (ROI) will rapidly excell from then on through the life of the equipment.

Commercial carriers have been using wireless solutions for decades. Today's market offers affordable licensed and unlicensed radio solutions. I often provide WISP business consulting clients both the business case and technical support required to implement wireless network solutions. These systems can and have been deployed in private systems where connectivity for both voice and data are required between multiple facilities.

If you are looking for more affordable alternatives to keep multiple facilities connected, then benefit from our wireless network solutions Indiana experience. Getting started is as easy as 1-2-3:

An extensive site survey is required of all involved facilities
A path study will need to be completed by our engineering staff
A feasibility study will be made to determine cost per alternative options

If you are interested in learning more about these and other alternative connectivity strategies, then call me at (317) 831-0704 or email me at cwhaley@tincg.com to get more information.

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10 Handy and Free Software Programs

Monday, September 21, 2009 by Chad Whaley

An article in the September 2009 Inc. magazine offered 10 free software programs worth checking out. The author had the following to say in the opening comments of the article:

Paying is Passe
Use free software programs instead

Free is a lovely word; unfortunately it's often followed by a disappointing product. We have found 10 great free apps that will help you run yoru business. Some are so good, you might even be willing to (shudder) spend money on them. -Mark Spoonauer

-Click here to read the full article-

We've been using a few of these free applications throughout the shop and have found them very handy in our computer support Indianapolis practice. Although I'll refer you to the Inc. article for the full list of 10 applications, I wanted to highlight a few of them in this blog article.

2. Basic Accounting Program

Most people have heard of Quickbooks becuase it is the defacto Small Business accounting package of choice. What I learned from the article was that Quickbooks offers a version called Quickbooks Simple Start. The free version lets you create invoices, print checks and figure payroll, but it does limit the user to 20 customer accounts. This is a great option if you are starting up a small business. It only allows the import of data from Excel, so it would not be a good fit for someone who already has their data in a Quickbook's company file.

3. Organize Your Outlook Inbox

If your Outlook inbox is as overflowing as mine typically is, then you'll really benefit from installing the free Outlook plugin by Xobni which happens to be "Inbox" spelled backwards. This allows for enhanced email search as well as an easy way to find attachments. It also offers contact info on the message sender, while allowing you to discover connections to popular sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook. We've found throughout our computer support Indianapolis practice that many people battle their Outlook Inbox. Xobni's Outlook Plugin will allow you to take back control over it.

6. Making VoIP Calls

If you have not heard or used Skype yet, then it is time to check it out. It is an awesome application for making free voice and video calls across the Internet. I use this application both for business and personal use. In fact, I hooked up one of my computers to my inlaws big screen TV and the whole family Skyped with extended family that live in Southern Italy. Although the application works just fine for voice only, I would recommend hooking up a web camera to enhance your experience by communicating with voice and video.

10. Automatic Backup

Offsite backup is a smart idea for everyone when dealing with both business or personal data. We strongly recommend our Offsite Backup Service for business customers with normally sized data sets, but Mozy offers a free service for users with up to 2GB of storage needs. For a nominal monthly fee, one can upgrade to Mozy's unlimited account if 2GB of storage is not enough. This service does not work with more advanced data sets such as found in system state backup sets for servers, but we can cover those clients with our business class offsite backup service. Mozy is a great solution for home or small business users.

Check out the full Inc. article, Great No-Cost Software. There are a few other applications that could to be useful in my business. BTW, I strongly recommend the Inc. magazine for any of you readers that are business owners or are a key member in a small to medium business. I read the magazine cover to cover each month. It is chalked full of usefull information.

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Ways to SAVE MONEY now and always on your IT spending!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009 by Chad Whaley

As an Indianapolis IT Support Firm, we've consulted with clients worried about current economic times. The common reaction is to cut spending, but we're suggesting that our clients implement a cost savings strategy versus an outright cutting strategy. The following are a few areas we recommend focusing on.

Review Monthly Phone and Internet Service Fees

Look into consolidation of voice and data traffic onto a single Internet connection. Our strategic partner, an Indiana Telecommunications Provider, offers blended circuits which are more efficient use of Internet resources. If your company requires multiple facilities to be interconnected, then look into MPLS network connectivity through a single carrier. Be sure to review the contract deadlines on your existing T1, PRI, or Centrex contracts. If there are 3-6 months left before your contract renewal, start shopping around now to find more affordable pricing or consolidated product options that meet your needs. READ THE FINE PRINT! Many carriers have automatic renewal clauses in their circuit contracts and require written notification of your non-renewal.

Use Technology To Increase Productivity and Efficiency

If your budget requires the reduction in headcount, then look into utilizing technology to make your business operations more efficient for the remaining staff. The following are a few solutions that our Indianapolis IT Support Firm customers have found helpful.

Workflow Automation (ie. Microsoft Sharepoint Services)
Remote Worker Solutions - Flexibilty can save on overhead costs
Hosted Services - Reduce upfront costs and Cap-X spending
Exchange Server - Shared Calenders, Contacts and Control
Virtual Meeting Solutions (ie. Microsoft Live Meeting)

Take Advantage of Great Offers

Many equipment and software vendors are offering great deals to entice IT spending now. One can find offers from deferred montly payments (ie. 3-6 months same as cash) to great leasing incentives. Leasing companies sometimes allow for the inclusion of the installation services in with the equipment lease which eases cash flow.

Volume Licensing and Software Assurance

Microsoft and other software vendors offer volume licensing discounts for most major products. Generally speaking, it is cheaper to purchase licenses in this way for quantities as small as 3-5 licenses, depending on the specific product. In addition, Microsoft Software Assurance can be purchased. Microsoft's Sotware Assurance (SA) allows for the spreading of license payments over several years while also including free upgrades to newer versions.

Centralized Printing Resources

Although multiple printers are convienant for employees, it is very costly to have "personalized" printers strung throughout the office. Multiple printers use more ink cartridges, power consumption and support spending. As an Indianapolis IT Support Firm, we encourage our clients to centralize printing to a few heavier duty printers/copiers and save money.

Virtual Servers

Studies show that standard multiple server deployments typically include under utilized equipment while consuming full power and rack space. Virtualization of some servers onto a single server typically increases hardware utilization while decreasing power consumption, cooling costs and often support costs. Our Indianapolis IT Support Firm recently migrated a client from five standalone servers down to two servers, one which was using a Hyper-V deployment that allowed for four virtural servers to be running on one machine. This new hardware signficantly increased performance across the board while reducing power consumption, cooling requirements and rack space. Virtualization technology is one that every business with multiple servers should be exploring.

Discover New, Low Cost Marketing Channels

With the growing popularity of Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites, a new affordable marketing channel has emerged. If you haven't started venturing down this road, then we would suggest starting with your own personal Linked-In page and Face Book (FB) page. Once you get your feet wet, then create a Fan Page for your company. Twitter is also very easy to start, but it can get a bit overwhelming for someone new to social media sites. The pay-off really starts to happen when you utilize the social media sites to notify customers and clients of new content, products and services that can be found on your static website or blog. If all of this is way too much for you, then ask one of your younger employees to help, becuase most likely they are updating their status on Facebook as you read this. Be aware that it takes time to reach a critical mass with these new social media marketing endevors, so start now!