Need to Upgrade Your Office Network But Don't Want the Huge Cash Outlay?

With the economy still struggling, many businesses are trying to save money and cut costs every which way they can. So what should you do when you have to upgrade your network or purchase additional software, servers and equipment? Try leasing or financing your upgrade, project or purchase.

Over the last year, the number of companies financing or leasing IT projects and equipment has quadrupled; and when you look at the benefits offered, it just makes sense regardless of the economic climate.

Many banks offer vendor-neutral financing solutions to help you get the IT and telecommunications upgrades you need while preserving cash flow. Microsoft, HP and Dell offer leasing and financing options for their software and equipment, and many offer 0% “same as cash” financing for 12 month periods and 90-day no payment periods. Some are even offering to throw in free disposal of old equipment, support, discounts and flexible terms.

If you want some help in determining who’s offering the best deals on leases or financing, give us a call! We’ll give you straighforward advice on who’s got the best option for your particular project.

Are You STILL Keeping Critical Passwords On A Post-IT Note Next To Your Computer?

One of the hardest habits we struggle to get our clients to break is writing down their passwords on sticky notes by their PC. Obviously this is a security risk. Another bad habit is choosing really easy-to-remember passwords such as “password.”

But admittedly, it CAN be hard remembering all of those darn passwords that are always changing. To solve this little dilemma, we’re suggesting to our clients to stop using passwords and use “pass-phrases.”

What is a “pass-phrase” you ask? They are letters and numbers put together in an easy-to- remember phrase such as “GoEagles09!” These are MUCH easier to remember than a random cluster of letters and numbers, which means you won’t have to write them down on a post-it note anymore!

Pass-phrases can be built from anything, such as favorite quotes, lines from movies, sports team names, a favorite athlete’s name and jersey number, kids’ names and birthdates, pets, and so on.

All you need to do is be a little creative to get numbers, letters and punctuation into the phrase. Since introducing this to our clients, we’ve found (believe it or not) they actually have fun doing this! Just don’t get so proud of your pass-phrase that you share it with others!

Top 4 Threats Attacking Your Network & What To Do About Them

#1 Overconfidence
User overconfidence in security products is the top threat to your network. Failure to “practice safe software” results in nuisance attacks like porn storms (unstoppable rapid fire pornographic pop-ups) and more subtle keyloggers that steal passwords. Surveys promising free stuff, result in theft of information like your mother’s maiden name, high school, etc. used to answer common security questions leading to theft of otherwise secure data. Think before you click!

#2 Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites like Facebook are exploding in popularity. Threats range from malware (eg. viruses, worms, spyware) to scammers trying to steal your identity, information and money. Many businesses and government agencies are using these sites to communicate with clients and constituents, so simply blocking access is no longer reasonable. Defending your company while allowing employee access requires social network education for your employees and the enforcement of strong acceptable use policies. We can help you develop a policy, then monitor compliance using a Unified Threat Management device that controls and reports on network access.

#3 Attacks On Mobile Devices
Everyone is going mobile these days not just the “road warriors.” Once limited to laptop computers, mobile network devices now include PDAs, handheld computers and smart phones, with new appliances appearing in the stores every month. Mobile devices often contain sensitive data yet they are easily lost or stolen. Be sure to password protect and encrypt data on all mobile devices whenever possible. Include mobile devices in your acceptable use policy.

#4 Cloud Computing
“The Cloud,” in its most simple form, involves using the Internet to access and store your data. When you access email using a web browser, you are working in “the cloud.” Using the cloud for automated off site backup is rapidly gaining popularity and is just the beginning. Companies like Microsoft, IBM and Google envision the day when we will use inexpensive terminals instead of computers to run programs and access data located somewhere on the Internet. You need to be sure that any data you store and access across the Internet is secure not just where it is stored, but during the trip to and from the Internet.

The Data Storage Rule of Three

If you really want to keep your data safe and ensure that it will not be lost, destroyed, or corrupted in the event of a disaster, most storage practitioners advise keeping it in at least three locations.

A single location gives you virtually no protection against disaster. Two locations might be enough, as long as one is offsite – but even then you risk data loss if both locations fail at the same time. For example, imagine a virus corrupts your server and wipes out your CRM database. You go to a tape backup to repopulate the database, only to discover that the backup is worn out or corrupted. Or, as we’ve read about numerous times in the news, your tape backup gets stolen out of your home, car, or wherever you’re storing it.

That’s why you really need three separate locations for your data, with at least one of them offsite. While all three locations or media could theoretically fail at the same time, the chances of that happening are minimal.

So why must one location be off site? To avoid a tragedy like the following one happening to your business. (We’re not naming names here because this isn’t a story about a client – but it did happen to somebody we know. We wish they had been clients, because we could have made certain this didn’t happen!)

A long-established company had years’ worth of data to store, including a CRM system and detailed records on past projects. They knew it was important to be well covered when it came to backups, and their technician assured them the data was stored in three places.

Then disaster struck – not through any fault of the company. A fire broke out in a neighboring office, and before long the whole building was engulfed in flames. Every server, every computer, and every other piece of electronic equipment in the building was trashed.

You might think the company would be fine – after all, they had redundant storage, and surely one of their storage devices was offsite, right? Wrong. The data was indeed in three places: on the server, on a drive next to the server, and on another drive in the next room.

This story illustrates precisely why it isn’t enough to keep multiple copies of your data. One or more of those copies must be stored offsite – preferably in a geographic location that’s not prone to flooding, hurricanes, or tornadoes. (That’s why many high-security data centers are located in the desert: they’re far from major metropolitan areas that are more vulnerable to terrorist attacks and power outages, and they also tend to suffer from fewer natural disasters.)

So the next time you talk to your IT provider, you might ask them two things:

1. How many copies of our data are we keeping?
2. Where are those copies being kept?

Once you have those answers, you’ll know a lot about how well equipped your business really is to weather disaster.

CMIT Guardian, our backup and disaster recovery service, automatically stores data in highly secured data centers with round-the-clock monitoring and security, advanced fire detection and suppression systems, seismic safeguards, and diesel generators for continuous and reliable protection. To find out more about CMIT Guardian, give Thor a call at 916-984-6243.

How to Avoid the Top 5 Budget Busting, Stress Inducing Mistakes When Moving Your Office

Moving is always a pain in the rump, but it doesn’t have to be a horrific, expensive experience. The number one lament from someone who’s experienced a “bad” move is, “I didn’t know I needed to…” followed closely by “I completely forgot that…” In other words, it’s what you don’t do that makes the move a disaster.

To make your move easy and effortless, here are the 5 most common mistakes you want to avoid:

Mistake #1 — Not Using A Checklist
This may seem like a no-brainer to those who manage projects, but project management may not be a forte of someone placed in charge of your move (like an office admin). Even those who use a list typically fail to make the list detailed enough. See page 2 of this newsletter for a free starter guide.

Mistake #2 — Trying To Save Money By Using Your Employees To Move Your Computer Network
Don’t ask your staff to disconnect, move and reconnect computers, phones and other devices just to save a few bucks. You’ll frustrate them and end up with phones ringing at the wrong extension, lost cables, and workstations that get dropped rendering them useless. You don’t want to let the movers do this job either; they may be great at moving furniture, but a network is a lot more sophisticated and sensitive. Be smart and hire an IT pro to pack and move your network. Doing so will help you avoid communication blackouts and extended downtime.

Mistake #3 — Not Hiring The RIGHT IT Firm To Move Your Network

While we’re on the topic, make sure you know what to look for when outsourcing the move. A few things to look for would include references from other clients, proof of insurance (get them to fax you a copy), a service level guarantee limiting the amount of time you are down, and a professional, organized approach to quoting the move. A real pro will insist on visiting your current location as well as your new location to conduct a detailed site survey. NEVER hire anyone who wants to quote moving your network over the phone. Additionally, look for an IT company that will apply the charges for conducting your site survey against the total cost of the move if you choose them.

Mistake #4 — Not Giving Your Phone, Internet And Cable Vendors Enough Advance Warning

Eighty percent (80%) of unexpected communications blackouts and cost overruns on network moves are caused by failure to properly plan voice, data and electrical installation in advance. Just because the prior tenant had computers and telephones is no guarantee that the cabling is suitable for your phones and your computer network. Advance planning will help you avoid emergency rush fees or band aid fixes to make things work.

Internet and telephone connections require as much as six weeks advance notice to be installed, tested and ready the day you move in.

And if you are building a new office, don’t leave it up to the builder to decide how many power outlets, network and phone connections you will need. Remember, changes and additions after the walls are up are at your expense. With printers, scanners, faxes, and other technologies connecting directly to the network these days, the rule of thumb of one electrical outlet, one phone and one network connection per employee is woefully outdated. Consult your IT provider in the early planning stages to ensure you have what you need before the drywall goes up.

Mistake #5 — Poor Communication With Vendors And Employees Prior To, And During The Move

Failure to communicate changes before and during the move results in confusion, downtime and increased expense. Remember, your computers and phones will be unavailable for a period of time before, during and immediately after the move. A little planning can minimize the impact on your business.
Give your employees, customers, and vendors the anticipated downtime schedule.
Make a cell phone list of important phone numbers (like tech support contacts, the phone company, cable company, etc.) and give it to your employees. You may also want to provide vendors and customers with a list of employee cell phone numbers to use during the communication blackout that will take place during the move.
Confirm, confirm, confirm! Call your vendors several times to make sure they have the move on their schedule and planned; don’t assume anything!
Ask your IT provider to temporarily reroute important e-mail and phones to another location during the move, or set up a web portal to enable you to access e-mail from a laptop or home computer so you’re not completely disconnected.
Hire Us For Your Next Office Move And Get A $500 Office Move Toolkit...FREE!

If you (or someone you know) is planning on moving, contact us for a FREE Office Move Toolkit.

You’ll receive:

* FREE Report, “Office Moves Made Easier,” which is a step-by-step guide for relocating your office and updating your office systems.

* FREE Office Move Checklist to make sure you don’t overlook important action items.

* FREE Site Survey and Network Move Plan. At no charge we’ll map out your move to minimize costs and downtime.

Call us now! 916-984-6243

or

Email Jeff Johnson at jjohnson@cmitsolutions.com

Check this out from Spencer Building Maintenance...

Check out this video we did about Spencer Building Maintenance last year...

Backup & Disaster Recovery Online Seminar

We recently held a seminar titled "How To Protect Your Important Company Information, Have Peace of Mind About Your Backups, and Keep Your Company Up & Running, Even in the Face of a Disaster". Due to the large in-person demand that we had for the seminar AND the huge demand from many businesses that were simply unable to attend live at our office, we have re-produced the seminar as an online seminar, viewable at your convenience. Please note that CMIT has extended a special limited time offer at the end of this Online Seminar, so I'd encourage you to watch this sooner, rather than later.