Network Support Services

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.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

1. Backups!:  Why Backups Are Crucial in Today's Electrical World (Part I)
2. Computer Basics:  Better Understanding Your Computer
3. Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out Of Hand
4. Wireless 3G Networks...Which one do you choose?
5. Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products
6. Benefits of Volume Licensing
7. 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
8. Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
9. 3 Great Ways to Help Speed Up Your Computer

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

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.

The future is on it's way, and it's coming fast.

Recently I had the privilege of receiving in-depth training on one of the networking world's up and coming stars, the Unified Communications platform. After hours of learning the ins and outs of this device, I can honestly say that this is the future of Small Business Network Design.



In particular the device in question is the ADTRAN Netvanta 7100 series Unified Communications appliance. This elegant device, with its outwardly simple appearance is an incredibly robust machine, capable of performing nearly any function needed of a small business network, short of say a file server or network OS. Features include full featured Multi-service Router, SPI Firewall, 24 PoE Fast Switch, VPN Tunneling, WAP Control, QoS, Door Relay, Voicemail, Key System, and full featured IP PBX. There's support for 24 users out of the box, expandable to as many as 100.



But what does that really mean?

It means this device can do just about anything. It's powerful with a good set of defaults out of the box, but with a little fine tuning, can be fitted into any preexisting network or connection type. The device's versatility is not to be underestimated. It fits well into VoIP Network Design, due to the variety of interchangeable voice and data modules it supports. The 7100 allows incoming SIP trunks, making it ideal for those using Hosted VoIP Solutions. It can accommodate many types of data connections, from cable modems to dual T1's. It even supports IP phones and soft-phones from several 3rd party vendors.

How can you use this device to your business's advantage? Simple. Let's say you have your CFO who finds himself concerned with the sudden skyrocketing of your company's long distance charges, after opening a new branch. This is likely attributed to all the new service calls to this remote location. The Netvanta 7100 can be configured to allow the use of say, an under-utilized T1 connection (as they many times are), to send voice traffic to the branch office's 7100 or 6355. This device then forwards the call out through the branch offices local phone line, thus sparing the company any additional charges. Pretty practical, huh? Another feature I particularly like is the ability to email users when a voicemail is left on their system, even in the case of multiple accounts or groups.



While on paper the 7100 may seem like a bit of an initial investment, the return on that purchase is undeniable. Having a single device allows for the simple, easy to administrate solution that many small business owners want. Additionally, after a technician installs and configures the device to the client's needs, the day to day administrative tasks, such as adding new users and voicemail greetings may be easily maintained by existing IT staff through an easy to use GUI. The "office-in-a-box" solution also allows for the simplification of IT Networking Support, as a technician need only examine a single device. Similarly, the simplicity of Computer Network Wiring and the identification of cable faults are vastly improved.

So as you can tell I was very impressed by the device. Powerful features, adaptability, and one-box ease of deployment make this a great choice for any small business wanting to take their network to the next level. If you'd like to hear more about the Netvanta 7100, and what it can do for your business, don't hesitate to call The Interconnect Group, Inc. at 317.831.0704. Let us help you, IT Networking Support is what we do best.

In part two of of my PC Backup Solutions blog, we're going to look at seven specific ways to backup our valuable data. As mentioned in my previous blog, in PC Repair Indiana computers will inevitably fail. Not to mention natural hazards, such as floods, ice and lighting storms. And, given our increasing reliance on these machines in our day to day lives, data backup is essential. (If you haven't read my first blog on the subject, I'd definitely take a minute to scan that one to find out the importance of backing up)

So, now let's get into the knitty-gritty of actual ways to back up your personal information. We'll take a look at some of the various backup methods, their strengths, their weaknesses, and the associated costs. In particular we'll look at 7 backup methods that are most relevant to a home PC user.

1. CD Backup
Burning important files to CD-R's is a cheap and easy way of backing up your important documents. CD-R's are incredibly cheap costing only maybe $12 for a 50 pack, readily available, and usable on nearly any machine made in the last 6 years. They are however prone to scratching, not rewritable meaning that you can't update the files, and relatively low capacity. While light years ahead of a floppy, they won't store more than say, 150 photos or songs. They're great for burning a single important album or backing up a couple years of tax info.

2. DVD Backup
Burning important files to DVD's is an affordable and easy way of backing up important files and documents. DVD-R's are only a little pricier than CD's at maybe $15 for a 50 pack, easy to find, and store six and a half times as much information as a CD-R. There are even more expensive dual-layer discs that store 9 Gigs of information! Like CD's though, they are prone to scratching and will get torn up if mistreated.

3. USB Flash Drive
Keeping backup copies of important files on a flash drive is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to help ensure your data is protected. A 4 GB flash drive, which would be enough for say, 900 photos or 1000 songs, can be purchased at many stores for as cheap as $11-12. An even larger drive, such as 8 GB runs only $16-18, and you can buy even larger drives if storage becomes an issue. Using one, couldn't be easier. You just open two windows, select the files or folders you want, and drag them onto the flash drive. USB drives are fairly resistant to most damage if treated with any amount of care, though personal experience has shown, it's best not to run them through the wash in your pocket.

4. USB Portable Hard Drive
Sometimes you just have too many photos, or too much music, to make backing up on DVD's or a flash drive feasible. Enter the USB Portable Hard Drive. These small, pocketable hard drives can carry enough storage to backup most laptops, and most small to midsize desktops. They don't require any special plugs or adapters, just a single USB port for data and power. Like the flash drive you can simply drag and drop your data on to the new drive. Some even come with software tools to make backing up even easier. Portable hard drives are pretty rugged, but much like a laptop excessive shaking and harsh drops should be avoided.

5. USB Desktop Hard Drive
This is the biggest and best of the add-on type of discs/drives. These are larger drives, both physically and in regards to storeage amount. Many drives even have higher speed connection types, such as firewire or e-sata, to make backups and file transfers incredibly fast. There is enough storage on most of these drives for 10,000+ photos or songs, and to back up nearly any desktop or laptop. Most large drives include backup software as a standard feature. The drawback with these drives though, is that they require a separate plug for power and are a little bulky to carry around.

6. RAID Array Backup
When purchasing a new PC, there is one option that is especially great for data backup and reliability. A RAID setup can have many forms, the one we're ideally concerned with is what we call RAID 5. Avoiding the technical end of things, this allows your computer to run faster, and keeps copies of your data on multiple drives, so that even if one drive fails, a new one may be substituted in its place. The computer reconstructs the data, and it's like it never happened. Raid is not terribly expensive to setup, however it needs compatible hardware and must be done at the time the machine is made, which are a couple of the system's only drawbacks.

7. Offsite Remote Backup
This backup solution is the ultimate in protection and security for your data. It is a powerful way to keep your data safe in even the most severe of circumstances. It's also what we normally recommend for our IT Support for Small Business customers. Since your data is backed up to a remote location, your files are kept safe even in the event of catastrophe like a fire or flood. While it is a little more expensive than some of the other options, it is the most reliable and easy way to ensure your valuable data is kept safe. We provide this service for many of our business customers, and so called "cloud" backups are available for home users as well.

So hopefully you've learned not just why we need backups in today's society, but also about some of the various ways we can backup our important data, files, and memories. If you have any questions, or would like us to help you implement a backup strategy of your own, please don't hesitate to call us. As always, we're here for all your Computer Repair Mooresville needs.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

1. Backups!:  Why Backups Are Crucial in Today's Electrical World (Part I)
2. Computer Basics:  Better Understanding Your Computer
3. Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out Of Hand
4. Wireless 3G Networks...Which one do you choose?
5. Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products
6. Benefits of Volume Licensing
7. 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
8. Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
9. 3 Great Ways to Help Speed Up Your Computer

"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.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

1. Computer Basics:  Better Understanding Your Computer
2. Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out Of Hand
3. Wireless 3G Networks...Which one do you choose?
4. Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products
5. Benefits of Volume Licensing
6. 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
7. Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
8. 3 Great Ways to Help Speed Up Your Computer

Today I'd like to continue on to the second part of my blog on better understanding your computer. I thought we'd take a look at some of the other components that help make the computer an invaluable part of today's high tech society. So, today we're going to look at a Motherboard, a NIC, a Video Card, and finally a Optical Drive. In Computer Help Desk Support I routinely service a wide variety of machines. Having a familiarity with different types of hardware allows me to connect symptoms of a problem to the component that might be faulty. While knowing how the various parts of a computer work is essential to proper PC Repair, it also will benefit you in your everyday use of computers at home or work.


Motherboard


A motherboard (or logic board if you use a Mac) is an absolutely key part of your PC.  This is the largest circuit board in the computer, and connects all the crucial components of the machine together. It provides a way for data to move from various pieces of hardware and back, and contains some of the most basic instructions your PC needs to operate. It also determines what types of hardware can be used in the machine at all, based on the various slots and sockets. My motherboard at home for instance, is a gaming board and will let me use parts like Intel Processors, and multiple video cards. Which brings me to my next point...





Video Cards


A video card is another important component of your PC. The video card is responsible for turning your computer's instructions into visible images, videos, or text that you can understand. It also renders any games, and translates any DVDs you might want to watch. Video cards are quite varied in design and form. Some performance cards are hulking pieces of metal with fans and giant copper heat sinks, while many smaller ones are built into the processor, such as on Intel's new i3 and i5 chips.



NIC


A NIC, or Network Interface Controller, allows your computer to communicate over a network. There are many types of NICs including Ethernet cards, Wireless cards, and 56k Modems. Many are built into the motherboards already. All of these share the common goal of allowing your computer to speak to the outside world. They use various networking protocols (languages) such as TCP/IP, UDP, and IMAP to let view webpages, send emails, or watch videos online.




Optical Drives


An Optical Drive is the component on your machine responsible for reading, and many times writing CDs, DVDs, or even Blu-Ray discs. This allows you to watch movies, install software, or burn DVDs. Each optical drive has a small laser, that reads the data on a disc as it spins. This data is stored as microscopic valleys and peaks on the disc's reflective surface. There are many forms of discs; CDs, CD-Rs, CD+RWs, DVD+Rs, DVD-RWs. Most optical drives on the market today can use almost any of them.



So I hope you feel like you've learned a little today, and feel even more comfortable with your computer. You may find knowing a little about the way a computer works can increase the enjoyment you getA out of using one. If you have any questions, or are perhaps considering a PC Hardware upgrade, please stop by our Mooresville, Indiana PC Repair Facility and let us take great care of you and your machine.



If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

1. Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out Of Hand
2. Wireless 3G Networks...Which one do you choose?
3. Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products
4. Benefits of Volume Licensing
5. 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
6. Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
7. 3 Great Ways to Help Speed Up Your Computer

Hello Indiana PC Repair customers, and welcome to my first blog.

This week I was reminded that we can all use a little help sometimes, even computer help desk support technicians. We sold a customer a Lenovo ThinkCentre A70. This All-In-One is a great, space-saving machine perfect for everyday computing. They do come a little light on RAM out of the box for running Windows 7.  Since upgrading a PC’s RAM is both a practical and affordable performance improvement, it was an easy decision for the customer to decide on the memory upgrade. Upon trying to open the computer case, I encountered some difficulty. Being unable to find any Support articles online, I decided to document the RAM installation process from start to finish. You will need the proper RAM and a few simple tools to complete this job.

1. Unplug the machine. Be sure to ground yourself (removing any static electricity), by touching something that is metal and grounded, such as a pipe. This is a crucial step in PC Support and Repair, as it protects against accidental damage to your components.
   
   
2. Gently lay the computer on its face, screen side down.
   
   
   
   
3. Find the two case screws, each located in the lower corners of the case. Loosen these two screws. They are bracketed however, and do not come entirely out.
   
   
    
4. Next locate four small black rubber plugs. They should be arranged in a square, near the leg’s hinge. Using your fingernails or a paperclip, gently pull the plugs out of the case and set them aside.
   
   
   
   
5. Underneath each of the four plugs should be a screw. Remove these screws, and set them aside near the rubber plugs.
   
   
   
   
6. To remove the Leg assembly, rotate the bottom end of the leg up. The square black plastic piece should rotate with it, and can then be removed from the back of the computer. Set it aside for now.
   
   
   
   
7. With the leg stand gone, the back plate of the PC must now be removed. The case is held together by a series of small clips. Using a straight screwdriver, gently pry the case apart. Start near the corner screws on both sides, slowly working your way towards the middle. Eventually you should hear a series of ‘pop’ noises and the back of the case may be removed.
   
   
   
   
8. You should now be seeing something similar to this. Locate the RAM slot, it should on the left of the machine, towards the center.
   
   
   
   
9. If you have to remove the old RAM to install your new memory, this must be done first. This happens if you have two new sticks to go in, remove the old one by pushing down on its white tabs and pulling the RAM stick out.
   
   
   
   
10. We are just adding an additional stick, so we’ll install that one. First, locate the inset in the stick of RAM, and match it to the one on the motherboard’s slot. Open the white tabs on each end.
    
    
    
    
11. Put the RAM into the second memory slot, using the inset to help ensure accurate placement.
    
    
    
    
12. Push down firmly on both ends of the RAM stick, being careful not to let it turn sideways or go in crooked. When the RAM is in far enough, the white clips on each end should pop up helping to hold it securely in place. Check that the fit is snug.
    
    
    
    
13. Now that the RAM is installed, the computer must be put back together. Place the main black plastic panel back onto the rear of the machine, and press gently along the edges to begin snapping the back into place.
    
    
    
    
14. Tighten down the two screws located in the corner of the machine. You may hear several small pops as the case moves into alignment.
    
    
    
    
15. Press firmly along the edges of the case, to ensure a proper seal. This will help to keep unnecessary dust out of the computer.
    
    
16. Then we need to reattach the legs. Line the two small black plastic tabs on the top of the leg assembly up with the two small notches on the back of the computer. Slide these tabs in, and rotate the piece down like a hinge.
    
    
    
    
17. Replace the four screws that hold the leg assembly, and screw them in loosely. Check to make sure all four are seated properly, and then tighten down firmly.
    
    
    
    
18. Finally, replace the four black rubber plugs, to cover the screws that were just installed.
    
    
    
    **Now that the RAM is physically installed, we’ll set up your computer to properly utilize it. If you end up needing Computer Help Desk services however, we are always happy to provide you with any IT services you might require.
    
    
19. After reconnecting all of the essential cables, like mouse, keyboard, and power turn the computer on. You may see a black screen with some text on it that you aren’t used to seeing, but that’s just the computer recognizing the new RAM.
    
    
20. Once Windows has started, click on the Start button in the bottom left of your screen. Then right-click on Computer, and click Properties.
    
    
    
    
    
    
21. In the window that comes up, click Advanced System Settings in the upper left panel. This will bring up the Advanced tab of the System Properties window. Under ‘Performance’ click Settings, and on this new window click Advanced at the top of this dialog box.
    
    
    
    
    
    
22. On the ‘Performance Options’ box, select Change to adjust what’s called your “paging file.” This file must be adjusted whenever RAM is installed. First, uncheck the Automatically Manage box. Then, make sure the Custom Size radio button is selected.
    
    
     
23. To set your paging file to the proper size, a small bit of easy math must be performed. Take the number of Mb’s (or megabytes of memory ) that the RAM now totals, let’s say for example 2048 (for 2 Gigs) of memory. You take this number, and multiply it by 1.5, so roughly 3000Mb. This is the “Initial Size” we’ll set. Add an extra 200 on, so in our example 3200Mb for the “Maximum Size” and hit Ok to accept the value.
    
    
    
24. Click Ok on the next screen to apply the changes we’ve just made. Click the red ‘X’ in the corner to close the open windows. Your computer should ask you to restart, and do so.
    
    
     

Congratulations, you’ve successfully installed your RAM. Now sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor… likely a noticeably faster computer!

Should you decide that your machine is in need of a boost, come by our Mooresville, Indiana facility and let one of our qualified IT Support Technicians help you enjoy your PC even more.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

1. A Great Small Business Network Router for your Design
2. Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out Of Hand
3. Virus Alert!! Make Sure You Are Protected!!
4. Wireless 3G Networks...Which one do you choose?
5. Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products
6. Benefits of Volume Licensing
7. 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
8. 5 More Features of Windows 7
9. Free Microsoft Antivirus Software
   
    

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:

1. Religiously Maintain Software Security Updates and Patches
2. Maintain Antivirus Updates and Run Scans Often
3. Implement a Strong Password Policy Company Wide
4. 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. 

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

1. Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out Of Hand
2. Wireless 3G Networks...Which one do you choose?
3. Get Empowered with Oracle Software Products
4. Benefits of Volume Licensing
5. 10 Handy and Free Software Programs
6. 5 More Features of Windows 7
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.

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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There has been a recent outbreak in people getting antivirus warnings on their computer.  A program that looks strikingly similar to a Windows Security Alert Window alarms you to a "infection" that has occurred on your computer.  If you attempt to remove it as instructed by the program, it tells you that you need to upgrade to the full copy and it will asks for your credit card number.  Does this sound familiar?  I hope not, because if so your computer security has been compromised!

In Computer Support Indiana, I have helped many clients that have lived through this in part or in full.  The real infection is this software that is telling you that you have the infection.  People who have been experiencing this issue ask me "how did I get this virus?"  This type of virus is referred to as a drive-by virus. 

A drive-by virus is a virus or any malicious software program that is downloaded without the user's consent.  For example, you could go to www.facebook.com and get a virus just from visiting the site.  They are really hard to track down, and remove.  Just because a site is infected does not mean that the owner of the site is the person responsible.  Hackers are now able to stick their virus on a site without any knowledge of the owner of said website.  Sometimes the malicious bits of code are distributed through ads and are constantly varying.

In Virus Removal Indiana, it is very hard to pinpoint exactly where you picked it up, but we can definitely help you get rid of it.  The removal process of these types of viruses can be difficult, so it takes an experienced person to clean it up.  The only way to minimize your chance of getting infected is to have an up to date antivirus software.  We recommend the Kaspersky Internet Security product for most home users.  Antivirus software does not guarantee that you will not pick up a virus somewhere, but it does typically minimize the impact which results in a smaller computer repair Mooresville bill. 

If you would like assistance with purchasing the correct antivirus software product for your computers, then please contact your local Computer Sales and Services technician.

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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. 

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.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

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In a recent post, I wrote on how to set up a Ventrilo Server.  In this follow-up post, I will discuss how to set up a service that allows users to connect to the Vent server automatically event though your Public IP address changed.  I currently use a program called DynDNS.  In network support services, this is a set up where you create a dns name that is directed to your public IP of your Vent server.  For example, your dns name could be owner.yourname.net.  What this dynamic dns service does is that anyone who goes to owner.yourname.net will be directed to connect to your most currently public IP address. It works basically like when you move and you tell the post office that your address has changed.  The dynamic dns provider is the post office.

The service that I use, as well as many others, requires you to download a program.  This program runs on your computer at all times.  For most home Internet connections, your IP address changes because you haven't paid for a static or sticky public IP address.  It could change every few hours to every few months.  This is called a Dynamic IP Address.  The dynamic dns program sends information from your computer to the service every few seconds.  So if your IP address is 74.125.95.103 and it changes to 74.125.93.120, the software will notify your service of this change.  Even though your address keeps changing, it updates the dns name owner.yourname.net to 74.125.93.120.

This program has many uses.  I have been using it to keep my own voice server the same no matter how many times my ip address changes.  This can also be used for people who want to host their own website, or if you set up a connection to your computer from another and you require the address not to change.  However, a word of caution is to check the acceptable terms and conditions of use for your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

If you need help, please contact your Internet connectivity solutions provider to see if there are any settings that may need to be changed for dynamic DNS to work.  In my example, I installed the DynDNS program on my computer, but I also know of situations where it is possible to install the updating service on your actual router.

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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.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

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There has been a lot of hype about the new Nexus One released by Google.  Although the news is very exciting, is it to much hype?  Currently this phone can only be activated with service through T-Mobile on a 2 year contract for $179.

The Nexus One device may also be purchased unlocked without a contract for $529.  The unlocked version will recognize SIM cards from any mobile service provider using the GSM standard.

The Nexus One's antenna supports four GSM radio frequencies (850/900/1800/1900) and three 3G/UMTS Bands - 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900). These cover most major GSM mobile providers worldwide, including T-Mobile US, but not the 850 MHz 3G band used by AT&T.

Although this phone is one of few that offer the Android mobile platform, the Motorola Droid and Droid Eris by HTC available from Verizon Wireless, are competitively priced.  The Motorola Droid has a QWERTY keyboard to enhance the touch phone experience, especially if you are looking for a phone to meet your small business telecommunications needs.  The Droid Eris by HTC is more comparable to the iPhone.

Android, is the first free, open source, and fully customizable mobile platform. Android offers a full stack: an operating system, middleware, and key mobile applications. It also contains a rich set of APIs that allows third-party developers to develop great applications.

Don't worry Verizon Wireless users, it is expected to be available with Verizon Wireless and Vodafone in the Spring of 2010.  If you would like help deciding which phone meets your small business telecommunications needs, then please stop in and see me at the Interconnect Group's Mooresville location.

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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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A funny thing happened to us the other day while out to lunch that I wanted to share with everyone.  Daniel and I were out to lunch at a local Mooresville establishment known for their pies and delicious food.  We were taking a late lunch, so we strolled through the serving line fairly fast since we missed the main lunchtime rush.  We paid for our meals at the cash register and proceeded to find a table.

We hardly got our food off of our trays and onto the table when we noticed two managers running toward us.  They said, "Wow, It's the computer guys!  You saved us a phone call.  Our computer in back just went down and we were hoping you could come back and check it out."  We happened to be eating lunch at one of our IT Support for Small Business customers.  Since it was already a late lunch, I asked if we could finish our meal first and they both said okay.

Not five minutes later, the manager came back to our table.  We had misunderstood her initially assessment.  Come to find out that their whole computer system was down which included their cash registers.  She asked if we could come back immediately since they were totally down and unable to conduct business.  Obviously, we sprung into immediate action and dispatched to the back room.  Someone had plugged a space heater of all things into a power strip.  The space heater overheated, melted the power strip and tripped the breaker.  They also had an electrician on site who tested everything out after replacing the power strip.  We made sure that everything came back up gracefully and they were back up and running in a matter of 15 minutes...disaster avoided!  You could see the relief on our IT Support for Small Business customer's face.

After returning to the table, the manager gracefully replenished the cold food as well as brought out a few pieces of cherry pie to compensate us for the quick service.  Those of you who know whom I'm talking about will most likely agree that the cherry pie was more than worth the distraction.  Supporting your local establishments and IT Support for Small Business customers at same time has its benefits.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out other IT Related Posts:

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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:

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Our credit card processor decided earlier this year that our physical premise was required to meet their PCI Compliance standards.  Not a bad thing by any stretch even though our website is hosted off premise and our credit card processing is handled via a secure card terminal.  They contracted a third party to provide the PCI Compliance testing which included both a multiple choice questionnaire about policy and procedures and a physical security test of our data network.

First off, you may be asking who needs to be PCI Compliant and what is it exactly.  PCI Compliance is the Payment Card Industry's Data Standard.  If you are handling credit card numbers/payments at your premise and those numbers are stored on a premise based system or server, then you are responsible to make sure your data network is secure.  If you are using a credit card processor terminal to run your credit card numbers, then most likely that data is being stored and transmitted in a secure method.  However, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Since we secure data networks as a part of our computer support Indiana practice, we took on the challenge as a learning opportunity to help our clients in PCI Compliance Indiana.  Our goal was to find out what exactly this third party would be scoring us on.  Although our network typical denies outside originated access for all devices other than those added to our Safe Sender List, the third party testing facility made us add their Public IP address to our list in order to allow them to fully test our systems.

We utilize a MikroTik router as our main firewall/router at our office.  The MikroTik platform is based on a Linux OS platform and subsequently utilizes a few Open Source applications.  Although our initial testing didn't prove to have too many security issues, the third party testing recommended a few changes that improved our game.

A few parting thoughts with respect to the process we successfully completed:

• Always Restrict Access Using Access Control Lists (ACL) or "Safe Sender" List
• Stop Services Not Absolutely Necessary on your Border Router
• Keep Router Firmware Updated (Although It Doesn't Always Equate to Security)
• Remain Mindful of Open Source Based Code Vulnerabilities
• Utilize Qualified IT Network Support Resources To Setup Critical Devices

At the conclusion of our testing, we now have a successful formula for our clients to be considered PCI Compliant.  It is interesting to note that you can not purchase a "PCI Compliant Router" because it is how that router is configured that determines it compliance.  Moral of the story, use a PCI Compliance Indiana firm such as The Interconnect Group to implement your border router because we've been through it personally and can take the guess work out configuring your affordable router solutions.

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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: