Microsoft | Briscoe Network Solutions

Getting started with SharePoint: Creating a vacation calendar

May 25, 2011 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

Imagine my surprise when I visited one of my clients this past week to discover that they had created a staff vacation calendar. They have been using Small Business Server 2003 and now 2008 for about five years and had resisted any suggestion that they look at SharePoint. I had envisioned them using SP as a document repository, or “library” to house a number of business related books and document in PDF format that are currently accessed via CDs. Needless to say this fell on deaf ears; but the calendar is a hit. Well maybe you don’t need a document library or business knowledge base but how about trying calendar? The following two videos demonstrate how to set up a calendar in SharePoint. Keep in mind that SharePoint items can be set to integrate with your desktop Outlook.

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Filed Under: Blog, Business Tools, Office Tools, Sharepoint Tagged With: Busines networking, Microsoft, Sharepoint, 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.

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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

Robert Crane: Basics of SharePoint Video

June 5, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

Collaboration is the key to effective business use of the Internet. There are numerous tools both general and specific for business; Microsoft SharePoint is one such business tool. We believe that SharePoint is a good tool for small business owners but recognize that before it is widely accepted more business owners need to understand how to use this tool. Thus we present Robert Crane, a noted SharePoint expert who focuses on the Small Business market; recently he released a full version on his presentation on the basics of using SharePoint. We are adding it to our library of SharePoint presentations. This video and other videos in our library will give you a good orientation on how to use SharePoint.

Basics of using SharePoint

View more videos from Robert Crane.

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Filed Under: Business Tools, Office Tools, Sharepoint Tagged With: BNS Services, Busines networking, Microsoft, Resource Center, Sharepoint, small business

BizSpark! Do you qualify for free Microsoft Software?

May 18, 2010 By Phill Briscoe 2 Comments

A friend pointed out to me that for entrepreneurs and startups that are working on developing new online tools there is a Microsoft resource that can provide support for new businesses. I don’t qualify for a number of reasons but I thought I’d make you aware of BizSpark; a Microsoft initiative aimed at assisting startups and young entrepreneurial businesses. Not only do they have the opportunity to work with the latest tools, but Microsoft also provides technical support, assess to the MS Azure platform, and training in good business practices. You’ll find answers as to how it works, what you’ll get, and how to qualify at the following link: http://www.bizspark.com

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Filed Under: Blog, Microsoft, Online Tools, Resource Center Tagged With: Microsoft, Resource Center, small business, Technology News

Recognize and avoid fraudulent e-mail to Microsoft customers

April 21, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

Below is a message included in the latest Microsoft security bulletin:

If you receive an e-mail message that claims to be distributing
a Microsoft security update, it is a hoax that may contain
malware or pointers to malicious Web sites. Microsoft does
not distribute security updates via e-mail.

To receive automatic notifications whenever Microsoft Security
Bulletins and Microsoft Security Advisories are issued or revised,
subscribe to Microsoft Technical Security Notifications on
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/notify.mspx.

Please make sure all of your staff is aware of this matter.

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Filed Under: CyberCrime, Microsoft, Network Security, Security News Tagged With: anti Virus, Microsoft, Network Security, small business

Corey’s Corner | Is Flash Dead?

March 28, 2010 By CoreyY Leave a Comment

You’ve probably already heard about what Apple’s Steve Jobs has to say about Flash already. As explained in numerous blog posts, one linked here to give you the gist of the situation, the Apple guru himself indicated that he felt Flash was dead, and HTML5 was the future, at least for Apple products. He cited that Flash is a “CPU Hog”, and several other unflattering things about the program.

So, no Flash for the iPad. Or the iPhone apparently. Now, what does that mean to the rest of us? While HTML5 is an interesting prospect and an emerging technology for sure, could it actually kill Flash? Not if Adobe, the company that created and continues to develop Flash, has anything to say about it. They’ve already rallied with claims that there aren’t any problems with Flash they are aware of, and that if Apple wants improvements, they need only ask. On top of that, Flash is used so widely throughout the internet, once hailed as the new avant-garde way to design interactive web pages, a gradual phase out could take years.

That said, we have to realize that Flash is indeed an older, matured program. Users have had a chance to give the program limits, and have found what it can and can’t do. HTML5 is new, shiny and can appear limitless. This is what I think Jobs was getting at. It’s not so much Flash not performing the way he wants, but it hasn’t done anything to absolutely wow him lately. HTML5 could be the cutting new wave of the internet, and he doesn’t want Apple to miss out. So far, they’ve managed to squash competition by staying ahead of the game by bringing completed products to market that grab an almost captive fanbase. It could be a legitimate fear that Flash will hold them back while other developers run with HTML5 and create the new internet. Steve Jobs wouldn’t want to miss out on that, and neither should you in the long run. Yet, the big question is: why does this matter to those of us that don’t build websites?

The first is that if you have a website, there is a good chance you have Flash somewhere on it. Remember that slick image that changes the picture when you put your mouse cursor over it, or how your site is more one seamless image than blocks of text with images? Surprise, your site has Flash on it, or another of the interactive animation programs out there, such as Silverlight, offered by Microsoft. If Flash were to suddenly fall out of favor with developers and companies that build products that use the internet, it would mean support for that program would slowly start to drop from browsers and cause customers coming to your site to not see it properly or even at all if your site is more Flash than traditional content such as text. It would cost you money to upgrade your website, and more than likely cause a headache as your web designer tries to recreate the feel you loved with new technology.

Flash isn’t evil, or a dinosaur quite yet. It has its uses, and Adobe could shock and wow us in the near future as they develop the program further. What it means to all of us that use Flash on our websites is that we should be mindful of how dependent your site is on Flash, or really any technology beyond HTML and CSS coding, which should always be supported. If that sentence just now didn’t make any sense to you, talk with your site designer! While you don’t need to know everything there is to know about web design, you should know what it uses to work. It’s the same as knowing how fast your internet connection is, while not going into the details of WHY it’s fast.

All of this falls back on what I would like to accomplish through this blog. Everyone should know the “whys” of owning and maintaining a website, even if they don’t have to time to focus on the “hows”. Just as knowing your network is important, knowing at least vaguely how your site operates can help save you a lot of trouble in the end. Especially if, for instance, Flash is suddenly gone one of these days.

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Filed Under: Blog, Browser Apps Tagged With: Busines networking, Corey's Corner, Microsoft, small business, Technology News

Word 2007 Blogging Tip!

March 9, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

When we started this blog our intent was to provide a resource for small business owners, managers, and staff that would simplify their use of technology from a layperson’s perspective. Meaning, we look to define useful small business technology, provide examples or demonstrations, and “How to’s…”

Currently, I’m in the process of creating a demonstration SharePoint site to not only demonstrate SharePoint but also to aid people wanting to explore the online tools of Microsoft Business Productivity Online Services: “Microsoft Online Services gives your business the powerful productivity capabilities of Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server, Microsoft Office Communications Server, and Microsoft Office Live Meeting —all hosted online and all up and running quickly and easily without the upfront costs of an on-premises deployment”.

In the process I discovered that the Word 2007 blogging tool can directly upload your blog by posting into your blogging client. I hate struggling with formatting in blogging software when I copy and paste notes from Word. Admittedly, most open source software include a tool for inserting Word formatted text, but this is not always a smooth transition; often, this can require editing the html code to correct spacing, insert bullets, bold text, etc.

Well, some of us don’t write html (me) and have to either publish as is, quit the project, or find someone who can edit the html for you (both Chris and Corey write html while I whine). To make a long story short, this blog posting was directly uploaded from Word 2007 to my Word Press site. If this is something that you are interested in doing take a look at these two sites:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA101640211033.aspx?pid=CH100626141033

http://blogs.msdn.com/joe_friend/archive/2006/05/12/595963.aspx.

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Filed Under: Blog, Office Tools Tagged With: Microsoft, microsoft word, small business, Technology News, Windows

What cloud am I computing to?

January 2, 2010 By Phill Briscoe Leave a Comment

People always like to tell me I have my head in the clouds; well guess what? Now it’s the only place to be… Let me explain!

Depending on your involvement with business computing, you may have heard the current buzz word “Cloud computing”. There are numerous definitions for cloud computing but simply put it’s online services and applications that are accessed through your web browsers. Online services offer several advantages over standard hardware computing: they are not hardware driven and web browser access means that applications are available whether you own a MAC or a PC. Most of you are already aware of web based applications if you have a Hotmail, MSN, Gmail, Yahoo, Comcast, or other web based email accounts.

In conjunction with “Cloud Computing” is “collaboration”. Recently someone told me that they didn’t need to all this new stuff because they weren’t sharing anyway. File sharing has been around since the beginning of the computer age but this new technology simplifies and incorporates more than just sharing music files or photos. More directly, it can help you communicate with staff, vendors, and clients regarding pricing changes, inventory updates and policy changes. Not to mention changing how you engage with clients regarding discussion boards, finding common solutions to common problems, or transmitting secure documents. These are only a few examples of sharing that can be done online; establishing a more participatory relationship besides just sharing documents and document version control.

From a network infrastructure perspective, Briscoe Network Solutions is an online company; our email is a Google premier account allowing us to use our domain name, our web site/blog is a stand alone WordPress application and our email mailing list is managed by SugarCRM. The Google premier account costs $50/year per email address and both WordPress and SugarCRM are open source applications; meaning they are free to download.

Over the next several months we will explore various online solutions with examples and we’d like you to follow along with us. Our intent is to find new or different applications that will be helpful for small businesses or examples of how to use current applications in new ways.

Google Apps and Microsoft Business Productivity Online Services are some of the most familiar names in Cloud computing and we think the following articles will give you a beginning orientation:

Microsoft Business Productivity Online Services (BPOS) http://www.microsoft.com/online/demo/demo.aspx

Google Apps, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJT3pagjd8s