Tech Briefs 2009
2009
IT New Year's Resolution List
December 2009
The New Year is traditionally the time to take stock in what has been accomplished in the previous year, and lay plans for the year ahead. It’s also a time for resolutions, and we know how hard it can be to find resolutions for the upcoming year. So, we decided to use this month’s Tech Brief to help jump start some ideas for the next year by presenting our IT New Year’s Resolution List. Hopefully these will make you at least consider some timely “resolutions” for
Solving Day-to-Day Problems with IT Policies
November 2009
There is no shortage of headaches when it comes to IT. In fact, sometimes it may seem like every time you walk into the office there's a new problem to deal with. While not every problem has an easy fix, some of them which may seem daunting can actually be remedied fairly easily by implementing effective IT policies. In this month's Tech Brief we'll take a look at IT policies and discuss three common IT problems that can be resolved by implementing them.
13 IT Nightmares
October 2009
When it comes to your IT, what is your “horror movie” scenario? Fear of your hardware failing? Hackers stealing sensitive business information? A virus running rampant on your network? Your answer may be different, but the basis of the nightmare is the same for business owners and managers – unproductive staff, lost time or intellectual property, and ultimately risk to your business.
In honor of the Halloween season, this month we'll take a little stroll
Website Malware
September 2009
Earlier this month the popular PBS.org website was infiltrated by hackers who placed malicious code on it that exploited vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat Reader and Apple Quicktime. To become infected you didn’t need to download any files or submit a form, all you had to do was simply visit the page. To make matters worse the code was found on a site for a popular children’s TV show, in essence taking advantage of unsuspecting kids to infect their parents’ computers.
An Introduction to Windows 7
August 2009
On October 22nd Microsoft will release the latest version of its flagship Windows operating system; Windows 7. After taking a hit from the much maligned Windows Vista, Microsoft went back to the drawing board and is hoping to win back consumer confidence with its latest release. In this month's Tech Brief we'll give you a preview of Windows 7 and review its new features, explore what versions will be released, and discuss when or if it makes sense for your business to make the switch.
Unified Communications, Explained and Explored
July 2009
If you work for a small business, you’ve most likely heard the term “unified communications” (UC) or even have a system in place to provide UC for your office. If you don’t have a system or have a UC system which only provides a portion of the functionality that it can provide to you, you’re not getting your money’s worth. In this month’s Tech Brief we’ll discuss what is included in a unified communications platform and the benefits that it can
How IT Can Help Your Business Survive a Crisis
June 2009
The success of your business is dependent on the productivity of your workforce. One of the keys to maintaining employee productivity is the ability to continue business operations during a crisis situation. The definition of a crisis is not limited to major disasters but should be defined as anything that impacts your standard business processes in a negative way. There are major crises that should be covered within the scope of your Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Plan, and others tha
Emerging Technologies
May 2009
Netbooks, solid state drives, 802.11n wireless. You may not be familiar with any of these technologies today, but in the very near future your business may be using them. From ultra-small laptops for your mobile workforce, hard drive replacements for workstations and servers, to the next generation of wireless networking: these emerging technologies are poised to change the IT landscape. In this month’s tech brief we’ll take an in-depth look at them and discuss the impact they wil
An Introduction to ITIL
April 2009
From large multi-national corporations to small startups, IT has become an integral part of every business’ operations. And as an integral part, organizations have developed high expectations for how their IT service should be delivered. To meet these expectations, IT professionals in increasing numbers have been using the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) – a set of guidelines and policies that are becoming the standard for IT service.
In t
Software as a Service/ Infrastructure as a Service
March 2009
As a business you know that you need to spend money to make money, but now more than ever you know that you need to spend smarter. And when it comes to spending smarter, one of the areas that strategy pays off the most is with your IT investment.
All too often businesses fall into the trap of spending too much or too little on technology. But what if you could invest in just the right amount of technology for your current business needs? That’s the idea behind Softw
Green IT Intiatives
February 2009
“Going Green” is a term that’s been garnering a lot of attention in recent years. From multinational corporations to small local businesses, everyone seems to be taking steps to operate more efficiently and reduce energy consumption. And while the positive effect on the environment is unmistakable, many companies are finding another benefit to Going Green – it’s helping them save money.
In this month’s Tech Brief we’ll discuss ste
Vista Service Pack 2, Internet Explorer Alert
January 2009
With the upcoming 2009 release of Windows Vista Service Pack 2, Microsoft is hoping to recreate the success of the Windows XP Service Pack 2 and breathe new life into their current operating system. Will Vista Service Pack 2 prove as successful as XP’s, or will the updates fail to impress? In this month’s Tech Brief we’ll break down all the changes in the upcoming service pack, and help you decide when the right time is to install it.
Also in this issue we’
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