Unified Communications

Some Strata® CIX™ Systems Affected by Automatic Daylight Savings Time
Please be advised that on March 14, 2010, during the daylight savings time change, some Strata CIX systems will experience automatic time advances of more than one (1) hour.

Affected Features and Systems
When the “Enable Automatic Daylight Savings Time Change” feature is selected in the Strata CIX System (Program 121 – System – Daylight Savings) it will experience automatic time advances of two (2) or three (3) hours instead of just one (1) hour.

Affected Strata CIX System Software Versions

• CIX System Software R3.10 MK050 and PREVIOUS
• CIX System Software R4.20 MP026 and PREVIOUS

NOT Affected Strata CIX System Software Versions

• CIX System Software R3.10 MK051 and HIGHER
• CIX System Software R4.20 MP027 and HIGHER
• CIX system software versions R5.X

Easy Fix For the Software Issue:

• Contact your Toshiba VAR to install new software

Data breaches are costing companies more than ever, according to a recent study.

Data losses, which can result from theft or carelessness, are a downside of the information age. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), more than 35 million data records were breached in 2008 in the United States—47 percent more than in 2007.

How much do data losses cost? The Ponemon Institute, which studies business privacy practices, surveyed 43 U.S. companies across 17 industry sectors that lost data in 2008. According to the study, data losses ranged from 4,200 records to 113,000 records, and each data record lost cost $202—making the total cost between $848,400 and $22,826,000.

That number was up from $197 per data record lost in 2007, $182 in 2006, and $138 in 2005, the first year the study was conducted.

Why are data losses so costly? When you lose data, a number of costs are incurred, including detecting data losses, notifying victims, paying for victim reparations (such as free credit checks), and hiring experts to remedy the problem. You also must account for business lost as a result of customer mistrust. In fact, in the Ponemon study, $139 of the lost $202 per data record represented the cost of lost business.

Companies may suffer the most from data losses. Another study conducted earlier this year by StollzNow Research asked IT managers from 945 companies about their experiences related to data management. They found that an alarming 49 percent of companies fail to back up their data on a daily basis.

This is despite the fact that nearly half of all participants experienced data loss in their workplace in the past two years, and 36 percent felt that data loss could have a significant impact on their business.

Don’t put yourself at risk. We can help you prevent costly data loss by implementing a policy for the preservation of data, and by installing and testing backup systems on a regular basis.  Contact us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

In today’s challenging economic times, many businesses like yours are reluctant to spend money. However, a modest investment in network maintenance can ultimately improve your profitability and reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of your network infrastructure.

Your business depends on your network

Your revenue is directly tied to the availability and performance of your network, because it’s the backbone of your business. Your network houses critical applications, allows your employees to communicate, and gives customers access your goods and services.

When your network fails, your business suffers. Employees cannot access the applications and information they need to keep your business up and running, and basic means of communication, such as printing, filing, and emailing, are unavailable. At the same time, customers cannot access the information they need to buy your products. You’re forced to spend time and money to get the system up and running, increasing your TCO. The end result: productivity declines and revenue decreases.

Managing your network can prevent revenue loss

It pays to minimize network performance degradation and downtime, and a network management system will help you do this. Large companies have long deployed such systems, but as networks become more critical to smaller businesses, they have become important for small- and mid-size enterprises as well.

A network management system will provide tools that improve network performance, help network administrators manage the network more efficiently, and include an early warning system for network outages. These benefits allow your business to operate more efficiently, thereby cutting costs and preventing revenue loss—and reducing the TCO of your network infrastructure.

Need Help?

Finding a good network management system and deploying it correctly is by no means a simple task, but there are plenty of solutions that provide the necessary functionality at a relatively low cost. We can help you deploy an easy-to-use network management system that helps you manage your network more efficiently and save money at the same time. Contact us today for more information.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The web is indeed becoming a dangerous place. These days, your PC could become infected with malware or vulnerable to a hacker attack just by innocently browsing a website or opening an email. Last July 14th, Microsoft released six bulletins with fixes for at least nine known security vulnerabilities that put users at risk in a range of Microsoft products. Many of the vulnerabilities, if not patched, can allow “remote code execution” or allow a hacker or malicious software to take over your PC and run unauthorized commands.

ZDNet’s Ryan Naraine has posted a helpful summary of the released fixes:

• MS09-029: This update covers two privately reported vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Windows component Embedded OpenType (EOT) Font Engine, which could allow remote code execution. Rated “critical” for all supported editions of Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008.
• MS09-028: This update fixes three separate vulnerabilities (one publicly disclosed and under attack!) in Microsoft DirectShow, which could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially-crafted QuickTime media file.
• MS09-032: This update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Video ActiveX Control. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user uses Internet Explorer to view a specially-crafted Web page that uses the ActiveX control. This vulnerability is currently being exploited in the wild! Rated “critical” for all supported editions of Windows XP and “moderate” for all supported editions of Windows Server 2003.

Some of the vulnerabilities, notably one in Microsoft Office Web Components, do not yet have a patch. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially gain the same user rights as a local user, allowing the attacker to modify or remove files on the PC remotely. This could potentially happen simply by using Internet Explorer to visit a website. A workaround exists by downloading a free utility from Microsoft called FixIt, which prevents the Microsoft Office Web Components from running in Internet Explorer.

Users, as always, are advised to immediately download the updates and utilities, or use Microsoft’s Windows Update service. If you need help installing the patches or workarounds, or if you feel your PCs are at risk, contact us immediately.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

An exciting new product to check out is the Dell™ EqualLogic™ PS6510 series of EqualLogic iSCSI SAN storage with supporting 10GbE technology.  As stated by a recent article from Dell™, the products versions PS6510E and PS6510X integrate “intelligence and automation with fault tolerance to provide simplified administration, rapid deployment, enterprise performance and reliability, and seamless scalability.” According to Dell™, EqualLogic™ is perfect for those who require “increased bandwidth performance for streaming workloads, business critical applications, virtualization, storage consolidation and high-volume data backup and data protection.”

Specifically, the PS6510E version is hugely scalable with high density and provides (information provided by Dell™):

• Very large-scale SATA SANs
• High performance and very high capacity storage (up to 48 TB SATA storage in high-density 4U chassis)
• Tiered storage applications and consolidation
• Disaster Recovery
• Capacity-intensive primary applications
• Scale-out capacity and performance

The PS6510X version has increased capacity and performance along with (information provided by Dell™):

• Very large-scale SAS SANs with 10,000 RPM SAS disk drives
• Higher performance and capacity using 48 10K SAS
• Tiered storage applications and consolidation (up to 28.8 TB)
• Consolidation disaster recovery sites
• Capacity-intensive applications requiring speed and performance
• Scale-out capacity and performance

We are currently implementing the EqualLogic™ 6010X for a client running 14 VM’s on a Dell™ R710 platform, and will be reporting on our progress and findings over the next couple of weeks.  We’re excited about working with this new technology and we’ll share our experiences with you.  Until next time…..

ORLANDO, FL, January 18, 2010 – ShoreTel, Inc., (NASDAQ: SHOR), the leading provider of brilliantly simple IP phone systems with fully integrated Unified Communications (UC), is showcasing its industry-leading integration with IBM Lotus Foundations Reach at IBM Lotusphere opening in Orlando today.

The ShoreTel offering leverages IBM’s Lotus Foundations Reach, an appliance designed for SMBs that customizes and extends IBM Sametime’s UC and collaboration capabilities. Delivering on ShoreTel’s earlier agreement with IBM, the live demonstration of ShoreTel for IBM Lotus Foundations will show a unique UC and collaboration offering that combines a small business appliance, presence awareness, instant messaging, emailing, calendaring and IP telephony in an “out-of-the-box” solution.

“As unified communications and modern collaboration tools continue to deliver significant productivity and cost advantages to larger enterprises, ShoreTel is committed to delivering brilliantly simple solutions that also allow our SMB customers to quickly realize these benefits,” said John W. Combs, chairman and CEO of ShoreTel. “At Lotusphere, visitors to our booth will have an opportunity to see how ShoreTel for IBM Lotus Foundations brings enterprise-class functionality in one easy to install, manage and use appliance.”

The combined simplicity and built-in management capabilities of ShoreTel and IBM have also shown positive returns in early deployments among select customers with limited IT resources, including Raleigh, N.C.-based EnVision Solutions LLC.

“A large part of our business is conducted via telephone or through electronic communications like email, IM, and through interfaces such as portals and Web conferencing. The ShoreTel and IBM Foundations integrated solution not only provides us with the continuity of communication essential to our business, but it has reduced our ongoing costs and greatly enhanced the way we communicate,” said Douglas Henderson, president of Envision Solutions. “With the ShoreTel business communication system, we have no single point of failure so that if any one office is struck by a disaster the entire company still maintains phone capability without interruption. No one in our company is ever in a black spot and unreachable, including when we are on the road or telecommuting. Although we are a small company, we have the same needs and expectations from our IT infrastructure as any large company. The ShoreTel and IBM Foundations solution has provided us with all these capabilities in a solution that is simple enough for us to manage without outside help and at a price that actually reduces our ongoing operational costs.”

ShoreTel’s easy-to-use IP telephony connects to Lotus Foundations Reach to provide an all-in-one integrated communications and collaboration solution. Visitors to IBM Lotusphere 2010 also have an opportunity to visit ShoreTel in the IBM Foundations Lab and attend the Birds of A Feather session on Tuesday, January 19th in the Toucan 1 room at 5:45 p.m. to learn more.

While software companies have made significant progress in protecting customers from malicious online threats, these threats continue to evolve, and now a new player has entered the game: organized crime.

Malware, short for “malicious software,” is designed to infiltrate a computer system without the owner’s consent. It includes viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, and even adware.

The total amount of malware removed from computers worldwide grew more than 43 percent during the first half of 2008, according to a security intelligence report by Microsoft.

According to the report, based on the type of malware most frequently found, financial gain appears to be attackers’ top motivation.

And it may only get worse, because now organized crime networks are distributing malware. Don’t think American mafia; this type of organized crime is more typically loosely organized criminals from underdeveloped parts of the world. Australia’s Verizon investigative response team, which handles data breaches on behalf of that country’s major corporations, has reported that 91 percent of the breaches it found in 2008 could be traced to organized crime activity rather than insider or other threats.

These organized crime networks plot to infiltrate computers—primarily American ones, which have information from which they can profit—and steal data. They may also seek out intellectual property for its potential value. “If a single piece of intellectual property is compromised, and it happens to be the secret formula to your company’s product, then that’s a business-changing event,” said the Verizon report.

Although most of the malware Verizon found could not be detected by current antivirus products, around 87 per cent of breaches could have been avoided by using simple controls, according to Verizon, whose report stated that “on the whole, criminals are still not required to work very hard to breach corporate information systems.”

Here’s what you can do to help protect your systems:

• Enable a firewall.
• Install and maintain up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware programs that provide increased protection from malicious and potentially unwanted software. Almost 40 per cent of victims Verizon investigated in 2008 did not regularly update their security software.
• Check for and apply software updates on an ongoing basis, including updates provided for third-party applications.
• Open links and attachments in e-mail and instant messages with caution.

Need help implementing these safeguards? We’re here to assist!  Contact us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Much has been said about the launch of Apple’s long awaited, new mobile device. Called the Apple iPad, the device promises to boost sales of a new category of computing devices called tablets.

What are tablets?
Tablets or tablet PCs are not new, and the concept itself has been around for 30 years. Although it’s had some success in industrial and commercial environments, it’s struggled to gain wide adoption among consumers in the past. Tablets, simply put, are slate-shaped, hand-held personal computers often with a touch screen or a stylus as input devices instead of a traditional keyboard. They are smaller and handier to carry around than Netbooks, but have larger, more capable screens than Smartphones. With its launch, Apple has largely stolen the spotlight on tablet PCs – but is by no means the only vendor selling them. Other vendors include HP, Fujitsu, Samsung, Asus, and many more. Some use Windows, others Linux, while still others have their own proprietary operating systems.

A special category of tablet PCs is ebook readers such as Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Nobles’s Nook. These are specialized tablets, primarily designed for viewing digital content.

What are tablets good for?
For consumers, the tablet’s appeal is that its form makes it easier to carry around and surf the Internet. Its larger screen allows users to view and interact with applications and media more comfortably than with a Smartphone.

What about business?
Tablets seem to have hit their stride in niche applications within industry and commerce. For people in the field, it can be more convenient to carry around and better suited to outdoor conditions than a laptop, yet can be as powerful and capable. With the entry of Apple into the market, more generalized business applications could find its way to the devices, including:

• on-the-go presentation delivery
• quick information access
• on-the-go content creation and editing, such as photos, audio and video recording, and documents
• easy information sharing and collaboration

Are Tablet PCs right for your business?
If you’re considering using Tablet PCs in your business, here are some things to consider:

1. Connectivity. How does the device connect to the Internet? Can it work within your existing office network? Can it securely access your data remotely (i.e., work with your existing VPN infrastructure)?
2. Security. Does the device support the encryption of data? Can it authenticate against your existing applications?
3. Portability. How much power does it consume? How long can it go between charges?
4. Interoperability. Can you access your existing applications such as email? Can you use your existing network services? Can it open existing data and file formats such as your office documents and spreadsheets? Does it require significant investment to outfit and manage on an ongoing basis?
5. Usability. Does it have enough power to run the applications you need? Is it easy to use or will it require extensive training?

Even if you decide not to adopt the Tablet into your business environment, you may need to consider the impact that your employees may have using these devices on their own to do their work, as many began doing when Netbooks and Smartphones came out.

If you would like to learn more about how Tablet PCs can affect your business and your IT services, contact us today. We will be glad to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

New research suggests that small and midsized businesses are struggling to keep up with securing their IT applications and infrastructure.

The IT Effectiveness Index report, or ITEI, provides business owners and IT executives at small and midsized businesses with a free online benchmarking tool to help them compare the effectiveness of their IT systems with companies in the same industry and peer group. Executives who take the survey are given a grade from A through F, along with a brief description of what their grade means.

Nearly one in four SMBs received an “F” or failing grade in IT effectiveness, the study says. According to the report, this failure stems largely from a lack of security, a high level of downtime, and the absence of disaster recovery programs. The report revealed that about 37 percent of SMBs received a “C” grade, which indicates they are just barely getting by; only 30 percent have a fully implemented security program; and only 26 percent have fully implemented a disaster recovery/continuity plan.

Is your business struggling with security? Do you want to increase the effectiveness of your IT? Consider outsourcing it to us so you can focus on your business and leave the worrying to us.  Contact us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

From annoying to destructive, malware is a bane to any computer system and the person who uses it. The benevolent Wikipedia defines malware (short for malicious software) as: “software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner’s informed consent.”

The good news though, is that there are simply ways to avoid getting infected by malware. Clearly having the right anti-virus and security installed and up to date is critical – that’s where we help. But it’s also important to know how you can make a difference.

Here are few simple tips to help you keep your system malware-free:

1. Never click indiscriminately
These days, there are ads and pop-ups, designed to induce a PC user to click on them. From sexy models to seemingly too-good-to-be-true offers and promotions, many web advertisers are counting on people’s curiosity and the impulse to click away. The thing is, many of these ads lead you to unsecure sites filled with malware.

2. Cancel Autorun.
When you plug in a portable hard disk or flash drive, you computer automatically opens a window with preset options to enable file viewing for that drive. Immediately opening a flash drive allows infections to access your system, so cancel the window and scan first before opening the drive or any file inside it.

3. Never open suspicious emails.
Unsolicited email is always best unopened and deleted immediately. If you don’t know who sent it, send it straight to the trash bin and delete it forever.

4. Only download if you must and only from trusted sites.
Installing peer to peer downloads may be a great source of free music, media and software. But it’s not only piracy and is probably prohibited by your company policy – it’s also a fertile breeding ground for files embedded with Trojans, worms, and other forms of malware. Download files only when necessary and only do so from legitimate and trusted sites.

You make the difference
Your behavior online plays a big factor in making your PC and your system malware free. Especially if you’re on a network, failing to exercise caution not only compromises your system, but everyone else who’s connected to the same network. A simple click on a wayward link or ad can cause your whole company to be bombarded by spam, so always be careful in what sites you go to and what files you open and download.

If you’d like us to come in and talk to your staff about this and other safe-computing habits just let us know.  Contact us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.