Page 2 - The Interconnect Group

How To Choose Between A Desktop And Laptop

Monday, April 5, 2010 by Brett Neal

People often have trouble deciding between a new laptop or desktop. The answer depends on what you need to do on the new computer. How much performance you need versus the budget you have to spend. Everyone wants to get the fastest computer they can in their price range, but speed is not always the primary concern.

Desktop computers are great for speed and reliability. One typically gets more "bang for your buck." The problem with desktops is that they are big, cannot travel well, and you always need a power source. Laptops are great for people on the go allowing for access to the computer anywhere that you might need one. Laptops take a beating and typically don't last as long as desktops. It is recommend to plan for some extra visits to the Computer Repair Mooresville store when looking at the total cost of ownership of a laptop versus a desktop. Today it is very common for us to see people that own both a laptop and a desktops in our Computer Sales Indiana practice.

The deciding factor simply lies in where you would use it the most. If you don't really have a use for the mobility aspect of a laptop, then go with the desktop which will gain you higher performance per price. If you are frequently out with friends or at a coffee shop working, then go with the laptop. If you would like further help deciding which is the best option for you, then please contact your Computer Support Indiana specialist for further help. They can help you decided what will be best for you and even show you various makes and models of each that meet your budget.

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How To Connect To A Wireless Network, Windows 7/Vista/XP

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by Brett Neal

Wireless networks are increasingly becoming the norm for home networking. The driving force behind this is the growing popularity of laptops, WiFi enabled smart phones along with the basic increase of number of computers found in a single home. Working in computer sales Indiana, I get multiple calls from people who need help connecting their new computer or laptop to the Internet via a wireless router. The operating system of the computer dictates the best way to get a given device connected. Some manufacturers have their own software to control your wireless connection where others may just choose to have Windows control it. If you are unsure how your computer is setup, then I would recommend contacting your local computer support Indiana technician to get help with your specific machine. The following are general guidelines to get a computer connected to the Internet while using Windows to control the wireless adapter/card.

You will need to know the SSID of your wireless router and the encryption key/pass phrase before continuing. The SSID is how you identify your wireless router from your neighbors. We recommend making this something you will recognize without using something too noticeable such as your family name. We also recommend that you do not use any special characters and spaces in the SSID. We also strongly recommend that you secure your router using a secured pass phrase that isn't something obvious such as your family name or phone number.

In a Windows XP computer your start menu will be green, and it will say start. Down on the right hand side just to the left of the time of your desktop you will see a little computer with what looks like 3 ))) and a red x. If you single left click on the computer it will show you what connections you have available. Just select yours from the list and type the password if you have one. Then you should be ready to browse the Internet.

Windows Vista is very similar to Windows XP. The icon and location to connect are the same. The color scheme of Vista and the visual changes from XP to Vista make it look more intimidating than it really is.

Windows 7 looks like Vista, but instead of having the ))) next computer. It looks like a small computer and only has one computer. Windows Vista and Windows XP have two small computers one for a wireless connection and one for a wired connection. Windows 7 only uses one icon to manage all connection types.

If you still have an issue connecting with your wireless router, then consult the wireless router manual, your ISP's technical support, or call your local computer support Indiana technician. We often offer to our clients that if they have a laptop and purchase the wireless router from us, we'll setup the laptop to connect to the wireless router while they wait in our shop.

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The Insurance Claim Process Can Be A Real Pain...We Can Help!!

Thursday, February 25, 2010 by Chad Whaley

The Interconnect Group Blog - Computer Repair Mooresville

I just finished speaking with a client who has gone several rounds with an insurance company in regards to damages sustained during an automobile accident last year. During the wreck, her laptop was damaged and she's been going round and round with the insurance company to get them to replace her laptop. Our computer repair Mooresville shop routinely writes letters to insurance companies for our clients verifying damaged sustained to computers and related computer hardware.

The typical process varies across insurance agencies, but typically your insurance agency will request that you have a computer professional diagnosis the problem. Our computer repair Mooresville store most frequently gets insurance claim requests during Indiana's storm season. Damaged sustained to a laptop caught up in a car hitting a semi truck that just pulled out in front of it was fairly easy to diagnosis as being bad. If one of your computers finds itself to be on the receiving end of a natural disaster, freak of nature, or motorist not paying attention, then you'll most likely need to following these steps when making a computer related insurance claim:

Check with your insurance agent to verify their specific process first.
When an examination is required, then bring all of the damage computer/laptop/hardware to us.
Our computer repair Mooresville technicians will examine the damaged hardware and produce a write up on our corporate letterhead stating our findings.
Submit the letter to your insurance agent.
You may need to send the damage hardware to your insurance company.
Some insurance companies require to have their own computer professional verify our findings.
Typically, there are a few calls back and fourth between us and them.
Once everyone agrees on the findings, the normal claims process resumes.

One word of caution, don't try to scam your insurance agency and even more important don't try to involve us in it! We will play no part in it! When people try to scam the insurance companies it makes it harder on clients like the one that I spoke with today who have a justified claim and just want some resolution without being hassled.

If we can help you with a computer related insurance claim, please stop by our computer repair Mooresville store. We are open M-F 9AM-6PM W 9AM-4PM and Closed on Weekends and Holidays. Or you can call our main number (317) 831-0704 Option 1 and mention this blog to get a $20 Discount on your next computer repair.

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Dynamic DNS, The Wonders Of Our Time

Sunday, February 21, 2010 by Brett Neal

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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What Is Internet Speed

Saturday, February 20, 2010 by Brett Neal

I was talking to my father the other day. He was having problems trying to grasp how high speed internet is faster than slower connections. In Internet Connectivity Solutions, a faster speed does not mean that it gets somewhere faster per say. Think of it like this, lets say that you currently live in Indiana. You are looking at a website that the people who own that website are in Califorina. When you go to that page, lets say www.onlinestore.com, your computer requests and recieves infromation from California server. If you have DSL or if you have dial up, it takes the same amount of time for that information to travel the distance from California.

So how exatly is your connection faster? If you have a straw and a paper towl tube the exact same length setting side by side. If you drop a tiny marble in the top of each at the same time, both marbles will hit the bottem at the same time. If you have the same straw and paper towl tube, and you want to put 20 marbles through both of them each, you can drop all 20 tiny marbles through the paper towl tube at once, but you're limited to one marble at a time through the straw. This is how your internet connection works. The higher the speed, the wider the tube which we often refer to as bandwidth. So if you have two different computers at the same time loading a webpage that has two pictures on it and one computer is on dial-up and the other is on xDSL. The dial up computer is limited to receiving a fraction of one picture at one time, where the dsl computer can fit both pictures at the same time. This is a simple analogy of how to visualize "faster" when talking about how Internet connectivity solutions works.

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A Great VoIP Router - NetVanta 1335

Friday, February 19, 2010 by Chad Whaley

We turned up a new client the other day in which we had the opportunity to use an ADTRAN NV1335 router. This product is a multiservice access router platform that comes equipped with 24-port Ethernet switch and a single NIM slot in back. It is a 1U rack mountable case which looks really sharp. Our VoIP Integration Indiana team were actually able to mount this unit into the small wall mount rack used for patch panels.

Although ADTRAN offers both PoE and Wi-Fi optional models in the NV1300 series, our project only called for the bare bones NV1335 equipped with a single T1 interface populated in the NIM slot. I'm also a big fan of the new color scheme of this ADTRAN router as opposed to the old Blue/White combination. The new color scheme coupled with the 1U rack mountable out of the box case, offers a very professional looking router/switch combined product without even getting into how great it is once someone looks under the hood.

If you have a project that calls for VoIP implementation or if you are moving, have your VoIP Specialist take a look at the ADTRAN product line. Specifically, have them look into the NetVanta 1335. It is ideal for a client that is implementing a Hosted PBX VoIP system or premise based SIP based system. ADTRAN has built in several QoS Service features that make this router a major value play.

If you currently do not have a VoIP Integration Indiana contact to help guide you through the system selection/integration process, then contact The Interconect Group so we can help you get connected.

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How To Set Up A Ventrilo (Vent) Server

Friday, February 19, 2010 by Brett Neal

My guild in my online MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) asked me to set up a Ventrilo Server. Working in computer repair Mooresville and having some experence in Internet connectivity solutions, I agreed to take on the task. I will be showing you how to set up a Ventrillo Server on your home computer that can be connected to by your friends.

First you need to download the Server Client. Select for what opperating system you are using.

After you download and install the client you need open the "Edit INI File". To Find That click "start" then "Programs" The find the folder "VentSrv", then click the "Edit INI File" shortcut.

Now that you have opend the "Edit INI File" shortcut we are ready to configure the vent server.

The "Name=" is what your server will be named. It will be shown as the first channel when somone is logged into your server. This is known as the "Lobby". After the = sign you need to type the name that you want to use.
At the "Phonetic=" This is a robotic voice that will say your server name. you can leave this blank or you can re-type your server name.
"Auth=" is where you can set if you want to have a password for the user to input to gain access to your server. If you have a 0 here then in means there is no password. If you want to have a password change this to 1.
"Duplicates=" lets you set if two people can use the same user name. If you want eveyone to have an their own usernames and restrict people having the same name set this to 0. If you don't want to set specific usernames set this to 1.
"AdminPassword=" Sets an administrator password to be able to add channels and edit how the client looks when somone is connected to your server. If you do not wish anyone to be able to edit this other than yourself, I reccomend setting a password.
"Password=" If you set Auth=1 (Which means you have a password) then set this password here.
"SendBuffer=" and "RecvBuffer=" are to set a voice buffer to make the audio quality better or worse. The default is 0, I would suggest not changing this setting since the quality is good enough already.
"Diag=" This is for developers to see diagnostics with the server itself. I recommend leaving this set at 0.
"LogonTimeout=" This sets the time a user has to logon to the server. The default setting is more than long enough for most users.
"CloseStd=" This is to make the server run in the background. It's default is set at 1. If you want the server to run in the background set this to 0.
"TimeStamp=" Timestamp is so you can see time and date of any message that happens on your server. 0 means it will not report time and date. 1 will report time and date.
"PingRate=" Sets how often the server pings the client. The number following the = sign is the number of seconds in between each ping. The default will do you fine unless you are having connection probelms.
"ExtraBuffer=" Sets the buffer area to outgoing data. Do not change the default setting. Doing so can potentually cause problems.
"ChanWidth=" Sets how many sub channels you can have. The default 0 means you can have unlimted channels. Then 1 means you can only have 1. 2 means you can have 2, and so on.
"ChanClients=" Sets how many clients can be connected at one time. The numbers follow the same pattern as the ChanWidth paramaters.
"SilentLobby=" This will enable voice in the Lobby channel. If you wish to deny access in the Lobby you can change this setting to 1.
"AutoKick=" Automatic kicks uses that are not talking for an amount of time. 0 means it will not kick a user from the server. Any other number sets how many seconds somone can remain connected while they are idle.

SAMPLE CONFIG FILE

Now that you have the vent server created click "File", then "Save". Launch the vent server by going to "Start", "All Programs" and "VentSrv, then click "Ventrilo Server". Your vent server is now online and ready to use. Just give people your public IP address or your local IP address if it only going to be used inside your own network.

If this helps you out or if you need some follow-up clarification, please post a follow-up comment below on my computer repair Mooresville blog.

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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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2G vs 3G vs 4G . . . What's it all mean?

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

Being curious about the new 4G network that is being boasted over the airwaves by Sprint, I decided to do a little research about the differences of the G-World and what it means. It's really pretty simple when you know the basic history of the words and the types of networks they refer to.

1st generation (1G) refers to the Analog System which was the first in wireless telecommunications. This network was not capable of handling the overwhelming response to the many users of cell phones today.

2nd-generation (2G) referred to the new world of Digital wireless telecommunications. This type of network allows more users simultaneous access to the network. Along with 2G networks came the age of cell phones that were capable of sending data as well as voice.

3rd generation (3G) generally refers to higher data speeds, always-on data and even greater voice capacity than previous generations. This type of network has helped increase productivity in the work force and allows users to do even more multi-tasking.

4th generation (4G) is somewhat vague and suggests even higher data speeds. These types of networks are more data-centric and based on standard Internet technologies. Often voice services are provided through a special form of VoIP.

If you are using your cell service to meet the demands of remote worker solutions, then most likely you've already experienced the improvements that 3G networks bring with regards to data speeds. The 4G systems through the use of WiMAX boast speeds in the 3 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up range. Once the 4G systems in wide spread usage, we can only hope that it will benefit small business telecommunications as much if not greater than the move to 3G did.

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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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Cell Phone 101 - Flight Mode

Monday, February 8, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

Most airlines and many governments ban the use of wireless radio devices during flight. These bans are enforced for two major reasons.

The most well-known is to prevent interference with the plane's onboard systems.
The other is to prevent interference with cell phone networks on the ground. Current systems are unable to handle phones at a plane's altitude and speeds.

Flight Mode is also referred to as Standalone or Airplane mode. Turning on any of these modes in your phone allow's you to safely use the non-wireless functions of your phone (such as music, games, picture gallery, pre-recorded videos or organizer functions) during flight. This can be critical for smart phone users who want to catch up on some remote worker solutions tasks while in flight.

The Mode settings can usually be found in your Phone settings and may be accesible through any of the three types of modes referenced above.

However, not all airlines have policies that accommodate devices with airplane mode; some airlines still ban the use of all phones during flight regardless. Something you will want to ask about if you're planning to fly. Be a responsible small business telecommunications user while aboard a flight and follow the flight attendants directions on cell phone usage.

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Nexus One by Google - Too much hype?

Sunday, February 7, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

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 Interconnect Group Blog - Nexus One by Google - Too Much Hype?

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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Unlimited Plans from Verizon Wireless

Friday, January 29, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

With the roll out of newly priced Unlimited Talk plans from Verizon, there also comes other changes that may or may not be so exciting to you. I'll briefly discuss a few points that may impact your small business telecommunications budget.

The new Unlimited Talk plans for $69.99/monthly access are for single line planse only. These plans can include Unlimited Text as well for an extra $20/month.

These plans are also available for Family Share Plans. The Unlimited Talk plans for families are $69.99/month for the primary line and $49.99/month per share line. If you want to add Unlimited Text to your family plan you can expect to pay an additional $30/month on the primary line.

Verizon has also decided to categorize their phones into 3 different categories. These being Simple Feature Phones, 3G Multimedia Phones and 3G Smart Phones. Simple Feature phones will now be the only phones that can be activated without adding and additional data feature to the device at additional charges.

If you have any specific questions regarding this post please leave a comment below via The Interconnect Group blog comment interface. If you would like to find out more on how to minimize/maximize the effects of plan selection on your remote worker solutions or small business telecommunications budget, then contact me by leaving a comment submission below.

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Wet Cell Phone Tips

Thursday, January 28, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

Have you ever gotten your cell phone wet? Many of us have. In my experience, it happens at the most in-opportune times. Perhaps you rely on your cell phone to be a critical component to your remote worker solutions. If so, you need to act fast by taking the following steps.

The first thing you want to do is remove any cases or covers from your phone. Once these are removed, you should then dry the outside of the phone the best you can.
You should then remove the battery from the phone.
After you have taken the phone's battery off, place the phone and the battery (separately) in a Ziploc baggie full of uncooked white rice. This may sound crazy, but I've seen it work.
Leave the phone and battery in their separate baggies with rice for at least 24 hours. The rice will act as an absorbent and dry the phone.

Never ever try to turn your phone on immediately after moisture damage!

I know it's hard not to, and you want to see if your phone works, but this can actually cause more damage. The best thing to do is wipe away the moisture, dis-assemble the phone and battery and place in a Ziploc baggie for at least 24 hours as noted above.

Most batteries have a water indicator which will turn color when exposed to too much moisture. Depending on the severity of moisture exposure, I have seen phones survive even with this indicator turned red.

If you have any specific questions regarding this post please leave a comment below via The Interconnect Group blog comment interface. If you would like to find out how 3G cards can help you with remote worker solutions contact me by leaving a comment submission below.

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Wireless 3G Networks. . . .Which one do you choose?

Thursday, January 28, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

We've all seen the carriers bragging about whose network is the best. This information will hopefully let you make your best informed decision when choosing a Broad Band Access Modem, especially for your small business telecommunications oriented clients.

The Interconnect Group Blog - Wireless 3G Networks...Which one do you choose?

When comparing the carriers, you will find that the price and usage allowed are the same. The top 3 carriers are currently offering 5GB of monthly usages for $60. The network, not the cost should be your major qualifier for determination of the carrier you choose.

Be sure to review the providers "worry free" guarantee before signing on the dotted line. Some providers give a couple of days to return and cancel service, after that they keep your full activation fee. These policies are different based on each carrier and the last thing you want to do is choose a small business telecommunications provider that doesn't meet your coverage needs.

With more options for 3G Networks, there are new alternatives for those who don't have access to DSL, Wireless Networks, T1 connections, and tired of dial up. With more wireless router options and an activated USB modem, a 3G wireless network can be easily set up to meet remote worker solutions needs.

With the freedom of 3G USB modems, many consumers are deciding to disconnect or port their landlines to their wireless carrier. Why pay a monthly bill for dial up ISP and landline service only to be chained to your house, wireless goes just about anywhere you do.

To view the individual coverage maps for each carrier, click on the links below:

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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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Fake Antivirus Threats

Friday, January 22, 2010 by Brett Neal

The Interconnect Group Blog - Fake Antivirus Alerts

We have been seeing a major influx of infected computers coming into our computer repair Mooresville office with the fake anti-virus infection which is commonly known as the "Win Antivirus Threat." This infection works in the following way. The computer repair Mooresville user's computer pickes up the infection while surfing typical web sites. An antivirus alert window pops up that looks very similar to the actual antivirus/firewall alert from Microsoft and tells you that your computer has been infected with a virus. It will prompt you to purchase and download the "antivirus" program which will clean and protect your computer against this type of problem.

The infections typically gets worst once the user tries to close down the window. Even worse, if the user tries to purchase the fake antivirus program it can lead to credit card number theft. The fake antivirus product will not do anything to help your computer. If your computer is trying to get you to purchase any anti-virus software that you did not install, the best defense is immediately shut it down. If you are not experienced in computer repair, then I would suggest that you take the computer into your local computer repair Mooresville shop such as The Interconnect Group.

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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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