IT Support | Briscoe Network Solutions

Yes, I said, how’s your insurance?

February 6, 2012 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

It’s been twelve years since I’ve been a property and casualty insurance agent but when a client contacted me about replacing or repairing a damaged newly purchased laptop I found that my insurance cap still fit. In short, off site a staff person had somehow damaged the screen on a three week old laptop and my initial response was to contact the manufacturer and see if they would assess the damage and repair or replace the machine. Second, I suggested that she should see what her insurance company would cover for the damage.

I have no intention of going back into the insurance business but this incident got me thinking, my client with this latest purchase now has approximately 20 laptops assigned to various staff persons who work not only from home but also numerous other official and unofficial locations and the fact the only two machines have been damaged in the last 4 years is a miracle. Whether your company has 50 staff members or one, with the large number of laptops and mobile phones in circulation the possibility of damage, loss, or theft is inevitable. Beyond the loss of data and security risks from missing devises is the cost of replacing which is always a financial hit. For large companies this is the cost of doing business but for small companies the replacement of computers, time lost while recovering data and the loss of critical information can be devastating. An insurance policy that replaces the laptop or telephone can help easy that blow.

Not only for laptops, but as a business person when was the last time you reviewed your insurance policies, I’ve made a list of several areas that you should review for the New Year:

Warranties: I always purchase at least 3 year warranties and support packages on all servers I install; the primary issue for me is down time. I may be able to fix a certain computer issue but if I can save time then I’m also saving my client money with less aggravation. Personally, since my laptops are my business I initially purchase 3 year warranties as I buy new equipment it reduces the headaches.
Business Personal Property: Many of us now work from home either as consultants, Solopreneur, or just telecommuters. What’s covered by your home owners’ policy? Do you need a separate business policy? Not just your laptop but what about printers, furniture, etc. Although some things will be covered by your home owners’ policy, I suggest that you make a list of your business assets and talk with your homeowners/renter policy Insurance agent.
Business Liability: Are potential clients coming to your home or office (I’ve deliberately excluded coffee shops!). If they slip and fall are you liable? Is your homeowners/renters’ policy going cover a liability issue for a business meeting? Also, if you work on client property in your home or office, “care, custody, and control”, what is the extent of your responsibility and how you are covered?
Errors and Omissions: Whether you are installing networks, creating and maintaining web sites, organizing someone’s office or giving financial advice please check regarding you vulnerability when working with clients whose expectation about the completed project may differ from yours.
Loss of Use/loss of wages: This could be a big issue in the event of a major natural disaster or local catastrophe, if you have expectations for FEMA or some governmental agency rescuing you in this scenario, I think this is another item to discuss with your insurance broker. If you are truly doing disaster planning this should be incorporated in how fast you can recover and return to business.

As I said from the beginning, the New Year is a good time to look at how you will do business for the future and disaster planning is more than is your data backed up. Here’s wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Blog, Maintenance Plans, Network Maintenance Tagged With: computer maintenance, IT support, Maintenance Plans, Network Maintenance

Shameless Self Promotion

June 13, 2011 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

In the course of a busy week it is quite easy to forget, gloss over, or ignore the mundane maintenance of life when fires are being quenched and walls shored up. In that same vein, I forget that while working with clients, thinking about/writing new blog posts, creating the newsletter, and hosting a monthly networking event; that maybe I need to remind everyone what we are about. After all we are a business and let’s make sure that I communicate my message rather than just flag waving. We are an IT support company providing proactive IT support with monitored and remotely managed networks for a flat monthly fee.

There are numerous IT support companies providing a whole menu of services for businesses and we are in the mix. I recently watched a Microsoft Webinar which described their small business market as businesses which had 50-200 employees/workstations. Although they recognized the businesses with 5-50 employees, the marketing focus was based on larger companies. The thought is that the larger the business the more serious they are about their technology needs and thus more willing to invest their technology dollar. Quite often this difference is couched in the term, “Enterprise Level”; meaning the bigger the business, the better. More specifically, the options and flexibility included with “Enterprise Level” product is beyond the scope or capacity of smaller companies.

Humph, were does that put me, a tech service provider who has always focused on the 3-30 client market? I got in this business because I felt that the needs of the smaller business were not being met. We began supporting Microsoft Small Business Server with the idea that this product brought “Enterprise Level” capabilities to small businesses and we are still committed to that goal. As with all technology, times change and there are many ways of providing the Enterprise Level look and feel to any business willing to invest in the time to learn. With Gmail, smart phone technology, broad band communications, and hosted applications, real time collaboration and polished business content and information access is available to all at reduced price.

When I first started the common business model for outsourced technology support had two basic models:

Break Fix. The client called a tech support person when something was broken. If the business didn’t have a support relationship established they searched the phone book or called friends for a recommendation. Once a technician was on site, he/she then had to discover what the network composition was before troubleshooting the problem. Issue: How much time does this process take? If billed hourly how much does it cost?
Scheduled support with hourly billing. A support relationship is established with maintenance visits prescheduled at a determined hourly rate. Normally, a minimum number or hours were determined per visit but all time on site was billable. Technicians working on site would interrupt the business work flow when updating the server, installing software or performing other maintenance tasks. All work whether maintenance or troubleshooting was done on site when the technician could arrive. Issue: How many hours are billed for system maintenance? How much down time before the technician arrives on site?

Today, improved technology allows me to monitor all networks remotely, proactively preforming maintenance tasks during non-work hours. Remote access also means that many problems can be resolved remotely not requiring an onsite technician visit and quite often with no wait for the support person to arrive.

We stay committed to small businesses that do big things with a small foot print. Our job is to assist you in your quest for better business. We remain and always remain focused on the fundamentals: Is your network stable and secure?

Call us today…

If you are a new to us, and would like to learn how to improve your IT Support while reducing costs, I’d like to invite you to a FREE Stable and Secure Baseline Assessment.*

We offer this Service to you so that you can get to know us better without any risk, so please call us today!

*Limited to businesses with 5 or more workstations.

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: BNS Services, IT support

What is your Pain Quotient?

January 13, 2011 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

Several months ago I was approached about how to determine when a business owner should outsource their technology needs. Originally I wrote almost 900 words but decided it was pontifical and still hadn’t gotten closer to a true guideline. I’ve tried several other times to write this article but was challenged by my content editor that I sounded too much like a sales person. During the post-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas period I re-read Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson of 37 Signals. I was reminded that businesses should hire to alleviate pain.

When you started your business you knew everything about the business and you wore many hats from product/service development, delivery of service, network administrator, and janitor. This not only saved you money but “it’s your baby”; you want to nourish every aspect of growth because it is YOURS. As a “solopreneur” some of these roles never change but whether you are a one person CEO or master of a 30 person company, as a small business owner there are several aspects of network administration that we think you should know or at least have documented at your site:

Know your passwords
Know how to properly start and restart your server
Know how to add or disable a network user
Know how to change a password
Know how to check to make sure your backup is running
Know how to restore a file from backup
Know how to check if your antivirus is up to date
Know how to run and schedule a virus scan.
Are your system security patches up to date? Are you only relying on MS/Apple updates?
Do you have a recovery plan? Could you start over again if you had to?
(See more…)

In the beginning, computer/networking was easy and you had time to learn not only about computers but you also learned about printers, routers, firewalls, Office software, QuickBooks, etc. Besides, how much trouble can one computer be? Yet as time marched on and things changed, you probably focused more and more on your marketing and providing good customer service.

You save money by being your own janitor or network administrator and this is a good practice as long as everything is housed in your second bedroom or garage. But when you move to an office suite the trash is sometimes forgotten and the office manager only vacuums the reception area and conference room. In short, it is no longer convenient and control has been relinquished. The same applies to your network; if you or someone isn’t checking on your daily/weekly backups, taking care of the printer that requires constant restarting, applying the security or product updates for your workstations, or monitoring your client/ inventory/business software then it’s time to seek assistance. In short, what is your pain quotient?

Many of us view our pain in a “break fix” fashion or better yet all problems are approached from the “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” position. For the occasional break down this is a workable philosophy, i.e., printer, router, or hard drive failure. On the other hand, how much time does a reoccurring problem cost you? How much is your time worth? Did you interrupt your business call to crawl on the floor because you lost your connection to the internet again? How long can you afford to be offline? If you no longer have time to maintain your list of network “should’s” and you’re still crawling around on the floor pulling wires instead of making a sales calls, then you’ve reached your network pain apex. Is it time to outsource your IT network support?

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Blog, Business Tools, Maintenance Tagged With: computer maintenance, IT support, Network Assessment

Are you ready for the cloud? Part 2

November 17, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

Much of the hype about browser computing is as if it were a great mystery or new slice of bread but most of us are already involved with various forms of “cloud” computing as we check our bank balance; send email using our Gmail, Yahoo, MSN accounts; pay our telephone bill online; review our stock selections; create online photo albums and order books or movies. So the concept of Cloud (browser) computing is not new but rather a different way to leverage the flexibility of internet-based applications. The questions is: will components of cloud computing replace your current hardware/software infrastructure?

One of the innovators in cloud computing that I respect is Scott Barlow, of Reflexion Networks. Scott noted the following in an article in ChannelPro Magazine:

“Technology practitioners increasingly recognize that we are moving toward a purchase/delivery model in which, as former Gartner Group VP Craig Baty observed, customers are shifting from the “acquisition of assets to the acquisition of access.” Of course, what’s driving this shift are the compelling advantages of the model, such as avoiding the time and expense of deploying and maintaining on-premises software and hardware, swapping capital budget dollars for operating budget dollars, and potentially freeing up internal resources for other priorities, even “going green.’“

The assumption is that the hardware and software costs of computer/server, operating systems, and business productivity software can be supplanted by ongoing less expensive monthly subscription web based services. Although we believe this to be basically true it is not all inclusive. Realistically, as a business owner you are looking at two aspects of the situation:

Are there online applications you will integrate into your network to leverage online computing power for a more reasonable cost without the hassles of on-site network hardware or software management?
Can you move all of your network computer functions to the cloud?

The first example is most easily demonstrated by Google Apps with a branded (xxx@yourdomainname.com) email, shared calendars and documents. At $50 per year per user this becomes an inexpensive option for a small company that doesn’t have specialty line of business software. Most significant, users no longer need to be in the same physical location to access work tools. Google Apps and Microsoft BPOS (soon to be Office 365) try to fill that all in one niche and although I think they are quite functional, they aren’t as helpful when specialty applications are needed, sensitive documents need to be stored or there are large capacity needs.

There are a number of specialty apps which can complement both a cloud and/or hardware infrastructure, such as customer relationship management tools such as Salesforce, Sugar CRM and Microsoft Dynamics CRM; accounting tools such as QuickBooks Online; secure professional document exchange such as Acct1st.com and Experience Denistry; or collaboration tools from 37 Signals. These niche online tools may serve your needs by not requiring additional hardware or software expenses for your network infrastructure; recognizing that the process of “going to the cloud”, doesn’t have to be an all in one solution.

More specifically, my first question is what is your motivation? In tech parlance we often talk about what is your pain, i.e., what is the problem you are trying to solve? It becomes imperative that you become specific about what’s your motivation is and what problem you want to solve. From my point of view this can be two questions.

For example, it’s time to replace your server or upgrade your workstations or even purchase your first server. Traditional thinking would involve the cost of a new server, the cost of migrating data and services from the old to the new, the time commitment for this change and does it involve any down time effecting staff and clients. A more prudent way of looking at the situation would to consider what functions does the server perform?

Is or will you be hosting your email on the server? If so, will this include calendar sharing? Can this function be better served with hosted Exchange or another form of hosted email? Will the online solution integrate with your on-site server? Do you need it to? What is the monthly subscription cost?
Does/will your server host any direct business applications? Are there online offerings from your specialty vendor? Does the online version have the same functionality as the on-site version? Does the online version need to integrate into your on-site software or online email client? Client database? Inventory and price listing? What is the monthly subscription cost?
Many specialty solutions may not work for your business “out of the box” and may need to be customized; can you do the customizations? What are the costs associated with customizing the user interface or database?
Is your server used for document storage and collaboration? How sensitive is the information? Do you need to manage various versions of documents? If so, is there an adequate online solution for this? How much data do you need to store online? What is the security level of the stored online data? Where is it the online data stored?
Does the server manage data backup? Is there a cost effective online backup option? My bias here is that there should always be on site backup for rapid operational recovery and minimum business down time.

You and your technology support person should ask these questions to vendor tech support persons when considering online solutions. Note, I said vendor technology support persons, not the sales person. The motivation for the sales person is often too self-evident but a tech person should know how his/her solution will work with work with your needs and thus minimize the support calls you will have to make to them. We’ve all had some “sales” person offer a product just for pennies a day and that is one of the prime allures for online services, i.e., a subscription based approach is a most cost effective way to handle technology infrastructure. I suggest that you take a long look at the time cost of money. If your server costs you $2500 plus $2500 installation, that is $5000 plus normal maintenance over an expected life time of the server of 3-5 years. On the other hand, an hosted exchange option with SharePoint which costs $14/mailbox, the cost for a 10 user office over 5 years is $8400 plus setup and maintains; whereas, a 25 user office would cost $21000.

In conclusion, we aren’t trying to come up with an outline of specific rules for whether you should “go to the cloud”; because we realize that you are already using various browser solutions in your everyday life. More importantly, we have suggested that you begin taking a serious look at how you use technology in your business. Briscoe Network Solutions runs well with Google premier apps for email for two people ($50/year/person); Constant Contact ($135/year); and Word Press blogging site ($250 setup including hosting). On the other hand, Ebony Knight, Inc. our parent company is server based as we backup documents from workstations, host QuickBooks database, Exchange database, SharePoint, integrated antivirus for the network, and we use a smart host to filter our incoming email. What works for us may not work for you, but asking yourself some key questions can help you find the solution that is both cost effective and compatible with your business needs.

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Blog, Online Tools, Resource Center Tagged With: Busines networking, IT support, Network Assessment, small business

Is your wireless still naked? #2

October 29, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

In my last wireless post I mentioned that Brian Posey was writing a series on wireless security and rather than duplicate effort I direct you to his latest blog postings on wireless security. Brian reiterates what we discussed in our article about simple security, i.e., most wireless appliances are configured through your web browser and the default user name and passwords are well known and used by everyone. Changing the default password is a simple security step which many techs either don’t configure or forget to configure. The excuses that access to the access point is infrequent and over time passwords may be forgotten only means that the network hasn’t been documented. As to default passwords, as Brian covers in his article, the following chart is a case in point.

Common Wireless Device Browser Access Defaults
Device	Access Address	User-name	Password
Linksys	http://192.168.1.1/	“blank” or admin	admin
Netgear	http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1	admin	password or 1234
Trendnet	http://192.168.1.1	admin	admin
DLink	http://192.168.0.1	admin	“blank” or admin

Now before you get upset that I’ve given up the farm, just think are you using the default passwords with your wireless access points; are you using the default IP address; did you know that this information is readily available from the manufacturers support site? Take a little time, read Brian’s article, and think about it. Are you going to make any changes?

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Backup and Security, Blog, Business Tools, Maintenance, Network Maintenance, Network Security Tagged With: Busines networking, computer maintenance, IT support, Maintenance Plans, Network Security, small business

Simple Security

September 8, 2010 By Phill Briscoe 1 Comment

Last month, shortly after finishing a telephone call with my friend “Lucy” I got an email from her saying that she was stranded in London, her suit cases and passport had been stolen and although she had found refuge at the US consulate she needed some money to tide her over until problems could be resolved there. I know spam when I see it so I deleted the message.

Later that day I got a panicked call from Lucy relating how her Hotmail account had been hacked, her account password had been changed, and the problems she encountered with Hotmail trying to regain control of her account to change her password and eventually delete the account. Lucy uses this account as one of her business email accounts and she was much chagrined when a spam/solicitation email was sent to all of the addresses in her email address book. Besides of the embarrassment, Lucy had to contact all of the people on her list to explain and apologize for some criminal’s actions.

I tell this story not to point a finger at Lucy but to illustrate that crooks and thieves use any method possible to gain control of your personal information though hacking, viruses, spam, and other malware. My message is to be careful. I’m often angered when I talk with clients who don’t get that point. Although nothing is fool proof, may I make the following suggestions?

Change your user passwords several times a year (ideally change passwords every 90 days). More often than I’d like I’m confronted by a client who finds that passwords are too much of an inconvenience. Even if you only have one computer at least put a password on it to keep the kids out.
Not using your computer? Log out or shut it down. Before we became so environmentally conscious it was customary to always leave business computers on to allow for operating system updates and remote access but in today’s world if your aren’t going to remote into your workstation over the weekend shut it down. If you are going to use the machine at least log out to break the direct link to the server and your user profile.
When was the last time you updated and ran your antivirus or antimalware software? Yes I know that these applications are automated but other than just a maintenance check are they running properly?
Do you have a personal software firewall installed on your computer? Many of us laptop users are at home sitting at the neighborhood coffee shop. Although the major coffee vendors include some sort of authentication and have monitored systems most local coffee houses do not; which gives rise to a concern for added hacking security. Most major personal antivirus and personal firewall vendors now offer Internet security products which include anti-virus, anti-spam, and firewall protection. I like the additional firewall protection but it requires that you learn how to use it as to not block you favorite programs. I’ll discuss this more next month.

With the convenience of the Internet comes added responsibility; quite often the most secure thing you can do is turn off your computer or change your passwords every several months.

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Blog, CyberCrime, Maintenance, Network Security Tagged With: Basics, computer maintenance, cyber crime, IT support, Network Security, small business

Now is the time for Windows 7

September 1, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

I’ve been using Windows 7 for over a year at this point and after Vista have been quite pleased. Standard practice for many independent IT pros has been to recommend delaying installing new operating systems until many of the kinks had been worked out. In addition, Windows XP does not have a natural migration path to Windows 7, i.e. clean install. My recommendation was for businesses to wait and replace existing Windows XP computers with new Windows 7 machines; but that was last year. What are we doing now?

Recently, I received several requests inquiring about the cost associated with “upgrading” Windows XP workstations to Windows 7. Well, my hourly rates stay fairly standard depending on the tasks but more importantly: Who am I talking to, what kind of business are we talking about, and what is the condition of the workstations and network? I understand the reluctance to exchange information with a stranger but I don’t proceed unless we can meet and those questions are answered. Given my position I thought I’d take the time to outline several issues about installing Windows 7 Business edition.

First off, if you are a business please purchase Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate for your network. These versions allow for more network flexibility and improved network functionality, printing, and security. Yes, I know Costco, Best Buy, and Fry’s have good deals on various home versions on new computers but purchasing the appropriate version saves us all potential problems down the road when you decide to grow your network or install a server to your network. More specifically, let me highlight a few issues that need to be considered before you consider moving to Windows 7 (32 or 64 bit):

There is no Windows 7 upgrade path for the following operating systems:
1. Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows XP, Windows Vista® RTM, Windows Vista Starter, Windows 7 M3, Windows 7 Beta, Windows 7 RC, or Windows 7 IDS.
2. Windows NT® Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server® 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2.
Supported upgrade paths:

From Windows Vista (SP1, SP2)		Upgrade to Windows 7
Business		Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate
Enterprise		Enterprise
Home Basic		Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate
Home Premium		Home Premium, Ultimate
Ultimate		Ultimate

Is your current computer hardware adequate to run Windows 7? I know that your computer is labeled Vista compatible but will all Windows 7 features work? Take time to explore the Windows 7 system requirements. Better yet Microsoft has supplied a tool, Windows 7 Upgrade Advisory tool, this can save you research time and point out hardware limitations and possible hardware upgrades if necessary.
Included in the hardware requirements is driver support for network adapters and video cards. The advisory tool should inform you of this factor but if there is any doubt, check with the hardware vendor and download the appropriate driver before you begin you upgrade or installation. Believe me this will save you quite a lot of time and hassle.
Whether you upgrade or perform a clean install, check to make sure that your favorite line of business software and other applications will work with Windows 7. This is particularly important if you move from 32 to 64 bit hardware. In addition to going to the vendor support website, use your favorite search engine, explore the experiences of other users, and call the vendor if there is any doubt. There is nothing more sad than listening to a client who has their major database in dos, Excel 2000, or FoxPro but doesn’t realize this until they upgraded their entire network and all of their business is dependent on this software. Do you buy the upgrade version of your software; migrate the database to new software; have new software built or start from scratch and manually re-input a lifetime of customer and inventory information?
Whether you are doing a clean install or an upgrade it is essential that you backup your data before you begin. Note: backup will include all of your documents and data but not applications (programs). Also note, that Windows XP backup is not compatible with Windows 7. If you use third party backup tools make sure they are compatible with Windows 7. To facilitate the backup of data prior to moving to Windows 7, Microsoft provides the “Easy Transfer Tool”.
For more complete information about “Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7“, see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7.

I’ll talk about early adoption later but from here on out as businesses purchase new computers or look to upgrade their networks, Windows 7 is going to be the operating system of choice. Fear of change should not be a guideline as you move forward but advance planning should be your mantra.

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Blog, Business Tools, Microsoft, Network Assessment, Operating Systems, Windows 7 Tagged With: BNS Services, Busines networking, computer maintenance, IT support, Microsoft, Network Assessment, Windows 7

The Excitement of Uninterrupted Power Supplies: UPS

June 30, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

Summer is a time for lots of construction and road maintenance and my neighborhood is no exception. We were notified that there would be occasional power outages during the times they work on our street and initially, I blew this notice off and quipped, “No problem as long as they give advanced notice of specified times.”

Later a client called and wanted to know what to do when the power in their building was shut off briefly during a construction phase. My answer: Shut down the server, computers, and other related devices during the power outage. I also noted that if this was to be for an extended period time it is a good idea to inform regular clients of the situation. Last weekend I received UPS, or uninterrupted power supply, failure notices via alerting software from a client with a notice that the server was to be shut down; the server stayed down the rest of the weekend. I informed my client and he went in early Monday morning and restarted the server with no problem and we continued business with no further incidents. Power outages and surges can play havoc with your server, computers and other office devices. This is why I always insist on a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) to provide surge protection and an orderly shutdown of the machine if needed.

Power outages, buildings with inadequate wiring, and lightning can result in significant power surges which can not only damage machines but can cause loss of data. Some people assume that a surge protector with a lot of Joules will suffice. There could be a discussion of how many Joules is adequate but the true advantage of surge protectors is that they are inexpensive. A UPS not only provides surge protection but in the event of a power loss it also shuts down the computer in an orderly fashion, preventing damage not only to the machine but also the operating system. Many people forget to install the UPS software and connect the UPS to the computer, which doesn’t allow the UPS to perform its alerting or shutdown functions. The significance is to use the UPS for more than just surge protection.

APC, Tripp-Lite and Belkin (surge protection wizard) are major manufacturers of UPS batteries and surge protectors with a variety of 800+ Joules surge protectors for less than $50+. APC also offers a UPS selection tool to assist in determining the right backup battery for your office. APC will also take used batteries as a trade-in toward the purchase of a new battery or UPS.

I know talking about surge protectors and backup batteries is not as exciting as your new 4G smart phone but your computer/server should last longer than your smart phone.

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Maintenance, Network Maintenance Tagged With: Basics, Busines networking, computer maintenance, IT support, Maintenance Plans

Are online backups a maintenance solution?

February 20, 2010 By Phill Briscoe 1 Comment

Recently, I had a new client inquire about using online backup as an additional level of redundancy to protect their data. My quick response was I’d compile a list for them to review and make an informed decision. Later, I thought about what considerations go into an informed decision: Storage space? Ease of configuration? Cost per MB/GB? Level of tech support? Below is a list of criteria that I use when reviewing not just backup providers but all software purchases and deployment.

Why online backups?

Hardware and media fail: (external drives, tape, CD’s, flash drives, etc.). If not now, they will sometime in the future. Or you will outgrow the capacity of your media.
Set it and forget it!: No matter what people tell me, as I talk to “solo-preneurs” and small business owners about backup, remembering to schedule backups or change backup media can be a problem. Online backup resolves both of those issues. With online backups scheduled and no media (tapes, CD’s, external hard drives, etc.), the computer needs only to be turned on. Let me repeat that, “With online backups scheduled and no media, the computer needs only to be turned on”! If this is still a problem, some online backup programs will do real-time backups.
Disaster recovery: One of the primary business concerns after hurricane Katrina was how fast a business could get back in action after so much devastation and loss. We know that with a total loss of all business data, customer lists, inventories, etc., many businesses are unable to recover and rebuild. They don’t fail; they die. Data stored in the “cloud”, i.e. online, ensures that business records are not lost, giving businesses a running start to resume. A disaster plan combining either cloud-based applications or backup images for bare metal restore, can mean the difference for a business in a crisis situation being back in operation within days or in some cases hours.
Redundancy: I like using both physical backups, images, and online backups to provide continuous updating of business data because business disasters can come quickly and in many forms, ranging from server failures, fires, floods, or theft. With imaging, a server now can be physically rebuilt in a matter of hours as opposed to days with online restores providing additional data as needed.

Considerations

Internet Failure: In my most paranoid moments I fear that the Internet will be inaccessible, in which case all Internet-based computing solutions will be unavailable. Many assure me that in this day and age the Internet back bone is most stable and secure. Most disaster preparation plans call for three days self-sufficiency while local and governmental disaster response teams evaluate the overall situation. I suggest that telephone, electrical, water, waste, and Internet services could be affected during that time period as well.
Availability and Security: There are two issues concerning database storage: What level of redundancy has the vendor built into their system and where are the data stored? Online backup requires data storage centers that house servers; there must be a system for duplicating the same data between centers and facilitate seamless user access from one or more centers at the same time.Consideration needs to be given as to where those data centers are located and whose data is stored next to yours. On an international scale, various countries have grave concerns if their data are stored in or near an enemy nation and there has been some concern about the physical security of storage facilities located at sea. You might be concerned if your competitor’s data is stored next to yours or whether the storage facility’s level of encryption complies with HIPPA, Sarbanes-Oxley, or other security requirements.
Latency: The time needed to upload large amounts of data can actually take days for a complete backup. This latency is adequate for disaster recovery to ensure no data is lost but the time delay is not suitable for the complete rebuilding of a physical server. To compensate some vendors will allow users to send physical copies of data to resolve the time needed for a complete backup or some vendors will send (next day express) a physical copy of backup data if a complete rebuild of a server is needed.

BNS Online backup criteria:

Simplicity/User interface: My primary concerns are
- How easy is the backup agent (program) to install?
- How much space does it takes up on the hard drive?
- How easy is it to configure and schedule a backup?
- What is the performance impact on computer (Does it slow down your computer?); this is particularly true for real time backups?
- Many online backup services have a risk free trial period which I recommend as a way to answer these initial questions.
Storage capacity and cost: Online backup/storage services operate on a subscription basis with a monthly charge based on the amount of storage, usually with a base minimum of 5 -10 GB. The introductory minimum is always quite inviting from a cost point of view but be clear about how much data needs to be backed up. The more data you store, the more expensive; not to mention the amount of time to complete the initial backup.
What needs to be backed up?: SQL? Exchange? Laptop? For businesses that need to back up database files, the mail server, specialty business applications, Linux files, or Mac computers: make sure that the vendor’s software for backup and data restore is adequate for your use.
Vendor reliability: comes in two forms: Does the company have a good reputation? Find out not only how long they have been in business, but also look at their list awards and articles related to their success. Read those articles not just for accolades! Quite often those articles will also provide a comparison with other service providers as well as “pros” and “cons”.The second level of provider reliability is availability or up time: Do they make a statement or offer a “service level” guarantee of availability, i.e. 99.5% up time? Do they have a plan for up time following a natural disaster?
Technical support: There are many players in the online backup/storage business. Besides the mentioned criteria, I make a pre-sales call to technical support to see how responsive, friendly, and helpful the company is. As Americans we make jokes about talking to tech support from India or the Philippines. Putting our prejudices aside, if you can’t understand the person, the response time is slow, or the tech support person doesn’t have a clue about the product (reading from a script); what is your first impression? The bottom line is: no matter what the price, can you depend on this company to protect the storage of your data?

Share and Enjoy:

Filed Under: Backup and Security, Backup Software, Maintenance Plans Tagged With: backup, Basics, BNS Services, Busines networking, computer maintenance, data backup, Disaster Recovery, IT support, Maintenance Plans, Network Maintenance, small business

Windows XP SP2 extended support ending July 13, 2010

February 20, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

Several weeks ago I got a Microsoft OEM newsletter informing me that Support for Windows XP with SP2 is ending July 13, 2010: “Windows XP SP2 will no longer be the supported service pack level for Windows XP computers. Customers running Windows XP SP2 or a previous version of the OS will need to upgrade to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (or Windows 7).” In short, with the advent of Windows 7, Microsoft’s new OS, Windows XP is now two operating systems away from the current version Microsoft is working on. What does this mean for users? Microsoft has provided the following PDF. (https://partner.microsoft.com/download/global/40126194).

Although I know this document is aimed at the technology professional; I was really looking for a plain English explanation/answer to the questions: Do I need to change? Is it worth it? Officially, mainstream support for Windows XP Professional ended April 4, 2009, but what is the difference between Mainstream support and extended support. Like any legal document it is important to understand the language so you don’t misunderstand. I think the following chart is helpful in providing those definitions:

Support provided	Mainstream Support phase	Extended Support phase
Paid support (per-incident, per hour, and others)	X	X
Security update support	X	X
Non-security hotfix support	X	Requires extended hotfix agreement, purchased within 90 days of mainstream support ending.
No-charge incident support	X
Warranty claims	X
Design changes and feature requests	X
Product-specific information that is available by using the online Microsoft Knowledge Base	X	X
Product-specific information that is available by using the Support site at Microsoft Help and Support to find answers to technical questions.	X	X

Note: A hotfix is a modification to the commercially available Microsoft product software code to address specific critical problems.

From my point of view there is no point using versions of Microsoft software that no longer have extended support because MS no longer provides product or security updates; not to mention paid telephone support. If you are past the extended support phase, it’s best to move to the newest version of Microsoft operating system if only to ensure that you have a stable system with full technical support.

Share and Enjoy: