By ensuring that the following does not happen:

• Busy signal – A busy signal can indicate that you do not have enough lines to accommodate your clients.  This can dissuade potential clients from calling you back, and thus you may lose business.
• No conference call option: Due to busy schedules and distance, sometimes a client might request a conference call. If you cannot accommodate this request, due to the lack of lines or features on your current phone system this client might take his business elsewhere.
• No music interlude – No one really likes to be told they have to “hold” but if you must put someone on “hold” at least make their time enjoyable with a well selected musical interlude or an informative message.
• No voicemail – When someone takes the time to call you it is because they want to talk to you. If you are not available then, they may keep trying to contact you or opt to leave a message. However, if you do not have a private voicemail, they may hesitate to leave you a message.  The option to leave a message with the receptionist is an option, but wouldn’t it make more sense to have your own voicemail box?
• No voicemail options – Voicemail doesn’t benefit anyone if it’s not used correctly. If you have the voicemail to email option, you will be able to receive your voicemails automatically via email anywhere you are, and return that phone call right away.
• No direct extensions – When a client has a problem, they want to be able to reach you directly. Many times they ask for your direct number or extension. Allow your clients to have direct contact with you, not a receptionist or someone else that will have to transfer the call.  You can utilize extensions or direct inward dialing so that you have your own direct phone number.
• No SNR – What is SNR? “Single Number Reach”.   Perhaps there is an emergency at your client’s office and he does not want to leave a voicemail, but wants to speak to you!  SNR will route their call to your cell phone automatically.  This will increase their chances of reaching you.

Your clients/customers need to feel valued and this can be accomplished, in part, by offering great service and communication.  If your current phone system lacks these features outlined above, your business will suffer.  Enhanced features will allow you to offer great service and have an edge over your competition.

Replacing my phone system is too expensive?

You might think that this is the case, but it is more affordable than you think and investing in the proper phone system will boost your productivity and thus increase your potential to succeed!

Which phone system to choose?

There are a lot of phone systems brands; however the brand you choose should be synonymous with reliability, and quality. Cisco IP phone systems are just that, they are packed with the latest technology features and Cisco is synonymous with quality.  Over 100,000 companies worldwide use Cisco Unified Communications, the #1 IP telephony and Enterprise voice system, including 85% of the Fortune 500 companies.  Cisco’s line of SMB products makes it affordable for small business to have the technology of corporations at their fingertips and for an affordable price.  At Xennix, we utilize the Cisco IP phone system and as partners we are proud to recommend you a Cisco IP Phone solution that is right for your business.  If you are ready for the best in class communication system contact us today! www.xennix.com

Bahamas: 242-676-3721
Orlando: 407-403-5198

Not convinced that a new phone system will have a major impact on your business? Watch this real life testimonial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFU321X9UnE&list=PLDA12D0B88D83FEB6&index=2&feature=plpp_video

You may want to ask yourself the following:

• Are you considering a network upgrade?
• Are you thinking of adding a PBX or VOIP to your current network structure?
• Are you considering a new SAN system?
• Are you considering adding a Wi-Fi network?
• Do you find that your network is running slow?
• Are your users complaining about application loading times?
• Do you suspect an employee of trying to steal trade secrets?
• Do you know what the state of your network is?
• Do you want to know if your employees are downloading non work related applications to their desktops or laptops?
• Are you looking for peace of mind, to ensure that your network is running smoothly and is secured properly from outside attacks
• Has management asked you for an IT budget?
• Are you thinking of moving some items to the cloud?

As you can see, a network assessment is needed for many different scenarios.  These assessments will provide you with valuable data which you can in turn use to create a plan of action to secure your network, or design and plan an upgrade. There are also different types of assessments; some assessments focus more on security, while others may focus on your infrastructure like cabling, network devices, servers and so on.

If a network assessment is something new to you, you may want to start with a basic security assessment and then speak to your assessor regarding more specific needs, they will be able to advise you on what type of assessment may be more appropriate for your business.

 Who should perform the assessment?

The decision is yours but you may want to ask your current IT manager or IT provider to set aside some time to perform an assessment. This is a service that a trained IT manager or systems engineer should be able to perform.  However, if you are looking for a specific in depth assessment you should look for someone who has performed assessments in the past, and that has the certifications needed for the job. For example if you would like to assess your Wi-Fi infrastructure then you would want to look for someone who has at least a CWNA preferably a CWDP certification because this means that they have an in-depth understanding of Wi-Fi and how it should be designed and implemented. If you are ever in doubt just ask “What qualifies you to make this assessment in our behalf”?

Where to start?

As mentioned above, if you have never done an assessment on your network, start with a basic assessment. Most Managed Services Providers (MSP) or IT Providers offer “Free Basic Network Assessments” and this generally includes an on-site evaluation which can provide you with the following information:

• The overall health of your network
• Network traffic
• Open ports that may be vulnerable to attacks
• Basic information regarding the OS on your computers/servers
• Patch level of OS’
• Discover applications running in your network
• Whether your users are using weak passwords
• Whether you have inactive users

The goal of this article is to get IT managers and Business owners to act, and be proactive in conducting a network assessment if you have not done so already. If you are an MS client of Xennix, you can rest assured that assessments will be conducted as part of your agreement. For any other company looking to have an assessment done please give us a call today and speak to one of our Business technology consultants.

Before joining the Xennix Team, Mr. Winder worked for a major utility company in the Bahamas and has almost 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry.  Mr. Winder holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering Technology; a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Network and Communications Management.  He is also a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).

Xennix is diligently working to provide the best technology solutions and the best services to their clients.  With Mr. Winder’s knowledge of technology and practical business experience, he will help Xennix to provide complete business based technology solutions that are backed by certifications and partnerships.

“We are very pleased to have Duwaine joining our team,” says Vania Ritchie, Vice President and CFO of Xennix, “adding Duwaine to the team will strengthen our services in specific areas of our industry that we are looking to grow while ensuring we give our clients the best possible service.”

The team of expert IT specialists at Xennix is composed of professionals who have acquired Business and Education degrees.  Technical certifications have been attained from Microsoft, Cisco, Sophos, Lenovo, Sophos, CWNP, Intuit, The Chauncey Group, and CompTIA, among others.  Mr. Winder will be a valuable addition to the current group of professional individuals that make up Xennix Ltd, as one of the main services Xennix provides is Unified IP Communications Phone Systems.

Xennix Ltd. 

Xennix Ltd, established in Nassau, Bahamas in 2003, began as strictly an IT Consulting and Support Company.  With a core belief in change and innovation, the company has steadily grown into an established Information Technology Service Provider with the flexibility to proactively monitor and preemptively solve IT problems before they become major issues.  Xennix has committed itself to help the economic growth and development of the SMB market that is truly the core of any economy.

How often should IT policies be reviewed?

IT policies are important since their objective is to protect the company and its employees, as well as, set rules and norms for all employees whether they are systems administrators, management or staff.  As with all things in technology, policies can become outdated due to the rapid changes every company faces.  As an example, if your current IT policies were last reviewed 5 years then it probably does not take into account the following issues:

• Tablets at work / Smartphones
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
• Wireless Design & Security
• Virtualization (Server and/or Desktop)
• Cloud services
• VOIP and Unified Communications Systems

The items mentioned above have really become a staple of our everyday lives in recent years, but were they considered in the IT policies 5 years ago?  A good rule of thumb is to review your IT policies once a year.  If you are an IT manager in Orlando or the Bahamas, speak to your employer about setting up a team to review the policies at some point during the year. If you are the owner of a small business, set some time out of your busy schedule to review the policies that you have in place and make sure you review them with your IT services provider.

What to do if you do not have IT policies in place?

If your company does not have a set of IT policies in place, don’t panic! If you are an IT manager look at it as an opportunity to help your employers get on the right track.  Speak to them about the importance of having IT policies.  Depending on the size of the company, setup a team to assist you with the research and writing of the policies.  At the beginning it may seem like a daunting task, but if you are organized and set the right objectives, your IT policies will be completed in no time. There are a lot of resources that can assist you such as:

• SANS Institute: http://www.sans.org/
• http://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/whitepapers.aspx
• http://www.watchguard.com/docs/whitepaper/securitypolicy_wp.pdf
• http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-123/SP800-123.pdf

These websites will allow you to learn about best practices that will assist you in what to implement as IT policies, just remember that when searching on the internet you want to ONLY use sources that have a good reputation and that are trusted by the industry.

If you are a business owner you may be thinking “I wouldn’t know what to write.  How could I have an IT policy? I’ll leave that up to the technician who fixes my network.”  True, you have a business to run but don’t forget that IT policies are there to protect you, your employees and your business.  Let’s look at two scenarios:

Scenario 1:   Imagine that you permitted all your employees to bring their personal laptops to work and do not require them to have anti-virus software.  One day Bob comes in to work, plugs in his personal laptop to the company network and downloads an attachment that happens to have a virus.   Bob has now infected your entire network!

Scenario 2: Your employee Maria is working on a highly confidential spreadsheet.  She decides to save the spreadsheet on her desktop for ease of access.  However, that night there is a robbery at your office and Maria’s laptop is taken along with all of your valuable data. You cannot retrieve the spreadsheet because she did not save it to the network and it was not being backed up.  Now the laptop with sensitive data is in the hands of thieves!

These scenarios are not meant to scare you.  They are just realistic events that DO happen and that are why even a small business needs to have IT policies in place.  If you have a Managed Services Provider or an IT provider they should be able to assist you with your IT policies. Your provider should have the knowledge and experience to walk you through the process in a way that is efficient for you. Don’t let 2011 pass you by without implementing IT policies in your business.

If you would like Xennix to help you with this process contact us today and a business technology consultant will be happy to assist you.

http://www.xennix.com/

Yes, although telework has its critics – advancements in technology allows us to work from anywhere, any place, at any time.  So, why not take advantage of this for your company?  Telecommuting is a perk that can be offered to your employees.  Why would you do it?  Most valuable employees do not want and most of the time, do not need to be chained to a desk every single day from 8am -5pm.   More and more companies are adopting telecommuting and are allowing their employees to work from home once a week or more depending on the circumstances.

According to the Telework Research Network website: “The number of Americans who worked from home or remotely at least one day per month for their employer (“employee telecommuters”) increased from approximately 12.4 million in 2006 to 17.2 million in 2008. A 39% 2 year increase and 74% increase since 2005. (WorldatWork Telework Trendlines 2009)”  We can only imagine that in 2011 that number has increased even more.

What are the benefits of telecommuting?

• Employees feel trusted by the their employer and thus increased employee morale
• Employee increased productivity (Really?) Yes, when working from home they may have fewer disruptions than at the workplace. They will also tend to work longer, because they are in the comfort of their home, and if they are out sick with a cold, you won’t lose them completely because they will be able to work from home.
• Reduce commuting stress:  “According to the Teleworkers Research Network 4.2 billion hours are spent driving in traffic every year.”
• Reduce cost in rent and electricity
• Keeping valuable employees – There are a lot of hard working professional parents who have a lot to offer to an employer, but may not be able to work full time from an office, and who may be forced to quit their jobs. Telecommuting offers these working parents a chance to continue their professional careers and care for their families.

As an example, Kathryn Gibson, a Xennix employee for more than 7 years and a mother of two says: “As a parent and business professional, working from home allows me to have a good work-life balance as it truly integrates well with my family life.  Having the opportunity to create a work-at-home environment is great especially when I don’t have to travel to the office and I can spend that time actually completing tasks.  I find that I’m more relaxed and able to spend extra time as needed completing something on my task list since I don’t have to worry about packing up and leaving the office to come home.”

What are some Telecommuting considerations?

Before they work from home, speak to your employees about the importance of having a dedicated office space so that they have a definite work area. Also, speak to them about the noise level, although they are at home they may be required to take calls; therefore there shouldn’t be any loud disturbing noises. Encourage them to speak to their families about the telecommuting arrangement so that the family and the employee can separate the work activities and family activities.  Lastly, facilitate the right technology for the job to ensure the success of your employee.

The right technology for the job:

• High Speed internet
• Router with VPN capability or computer/laptop with vpn capability
• Application virtualization if needed (Applications such as QuickBooks can be virtualized to be easily accessible and fast, as there is no point in giving employees access to a slow application).
• Soft phone application – Your existing PBX may have a soft phone option which allows employees to make and take calls from their extension.
• Instant Messenger system – Systems such as Microsoft Lync allows all the employees of any organization to stay plugged in. You can see who is available, who is on a call, which is busy, and you can share documents, share desktops, and even have a video conference call from anywhere.

Some may point out that a negative effect of telework is the loss of communication between an employee and a supervisor, but this is where technology comes in.  Connect with your teleworkers every morning via your company’s messenger service such as Lync, schedule conference calls at the end of the day to touch basis with your employees.  Use resources such as SharePoint to stay in touch and even build a SharePoint webpage of events taking place at the office, so that the teleworker never feels out of touch with or isolated from the company.

It is also important that you have policies in place regarding confidentiality, and sensitive documents. Another consideration is to install applications such as Lojack for laptops and tablets because a telecommuter is not stagnant and traveling can cause a laptop /tablet to be lost/stolen.   Speak to  your IT department or your Managed Services Provider about employees who may benefit from telecommuting and have them assist you with policies and equipment to ensure that all parties involved are successful. After all, technology is there to help you strengthen your business!

If you would like to speak to a Xennix representative about how telecommuting can help your business, give us a call and we would be happy to guide you in the right direction.

Tablets are all the rage and it’s easy to understand why. They are compact, sleek, and the touch screen makes reading e-mails or watching videos a breeze. There is also a plethora of options when it comes to tablets, such as Cisco, Lenovo, Samsung, Apple, Toshiba, BlackBerry, Acer, ViewSonic, and many more are manufacturing tablets.

According to research firm Gartner Inc[i], it is estimated that in 2012, 108.2 million tablets will be sold[ii]. So, it seems that for consumers, purchasing a tablet is an easy choice, but what about businesses? Would it be a wise investment to purchase tablets for your employees? What should you consider when purchasing tablets for business?

In order to determine whether or not tablets are a wise investment for your business, ask yourself these questions:

• What purpose will the tablet fulfill?
• In the case of mobile users; will having a tablet ease their job functions?
• Will my employee’s productivity increase with the use of a tablet?
• If they already have a laptop, what use will they give to the tablet?
• Will a tablet give my employees a competitive edge?

These questions will help you evaluate if a tablet is the right tool for your employees. Remember, technology is a tool that should be utilized to enhance your business and increase productivity, not to create extra expenses or concerns when they are not needed.

What are other companies doing?

Although tablets are innovative, not everyone is jumping on the tablet bandwagon. Most companies are composed of employees who are not mobile, and many of those employees require high capacity desktops that can respond to complex spreadsheets, and high end graphic processing. For those employees, who are both in and out of the office, a laptop is still the best choice.

So, although tablets are cool, desktops and laptops still dominate the business market. Gartner Inc estimates that in 2012, 276 million laptops are expected to ship. In the article “Sorry, tablets: Laptops still dominate the enterprise.” Mary K. Pratt, interviews Tony Young, CIO of a company with 2,200 employees.  What are they using? “90% of the computers [...] are laptops, the remaining 10% high-end desktops.[iii]” This is the trend among most companies; although there is room for tablets they are more of a tool to enhance your existing desktop or laptop but not to replace it.

How can a tablet enhance my job?

In the case of mobile employees, such as sales agents, a tablet can be more practical when reviewing information with customers, vendors, and colleagues than pulling out a laptop and waiting for it load. Being able to demo your product or service with the use of pictures, videos, or tablet applications can also give you an edge against your competitors.

What companies are using tablets?

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that companies such as Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic and Boston Scientific are all among supply firms that are equipping their sales people with iPads. Mercedes-Benz announced that it would distribute iPads to all of its 355 dealerships in the United States[iv].

Xennix has recently acquired Lenovo ThinkPad tablets for our engineers. Why? To us it made sense-all of our employees are mobile and our engineers are always on the road, travelling from one client to another.Although we all have high end laptops and smart phones, our engineers needed a faster way to be notified of problems and an easier way to update tickets. Yes, their smart phones allow them to receive e-mail but who wants to read a long e-mail on their phone? Their laptops allow them to perform their work, troubleshoot networks, and create reports, quotes, and documentation, but on the road it’s not always easy to pull up a laptop to enter a quick update on a ticket.The answer was the use of a tablet, which allows them to monitor networks, and enter updates for client’s tickets in a quick and efficient manner.  Our engineers are happy and more productive, and in return our clients are also happier; it’s a win- win for us.

Are there security concerns?

Most definitely-security is a serious consideration. Laptops have more security features than your typical consumer tablet, and you can always run into issues when employees store data that is confidential or download questionable applications that can carry viruses. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot set policies for the tablets as they become part of your network. If your company is considering tablets, you can consider the following policies:

• Ensure that all tablets have standard security such as passwords and remote detonation in the event the tablet is lost or stolen (The Lenovo ThinkPad comes with Computrace by Absolute Software)
• Only allow the installation of company approved applications
• Ensure that the tablet you select has data encryption features

Taking time to set policies for your tablet users should provide you with some peace of mind, as you embrace the tablets in your business.

What tablet to choose?

If you have decided that your employees can benefit from a tablet, the next step is deciding which tablet to purchase. There are so many brands and models to choose from, but don’t become overwhelmed.  Select a model that is geared towards enterprises and not just consumers; look for key features such as security. If your company is running software that can also be installed in tablets, make sure that the tablet you plan to purchase is compatible with the application. If you are a business owner ask your IT team for assistance in deciding which tablet to choose. If you are an IT manager, reach out to your favorite vendors’ partners. They should be able to provide you with valuable information and specifications that will help you make a recommendation to your CEO or CFO.

As Lenovo and Cisco partners, we at Xennix are IT experts that would be more than happy to assist you in determining whether a tablet is a right fit for your company and what tablet would best serve your needs. Give us a call today or send us an e-mail, we are here to help you strengthen your business through technology!

Bahamas-(242)676-3721
USA-(407)403-5198

www.xennix.com– admin@xennix.com

However, updates are not always created to fix bugs sometimes they are to enhance or add features to the software. For example, a new feature might be added to make an application more user friendly or to plug in to another application.

So, with all the updates how can you stay current?

In the case of Microsoft they introduced “Patch Tuesday” usually the second Tuesday of each month is when Microsoft releases its patches. To get more information on Microsoft patches you can visit Microsoft Download Center http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/default.aspx, Microsoft updates http://www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/vistadefault.aspx?ln=en-us to do a quick check on whether you need a Microsoft update you can follow these steps:

• Click START
• Click ALL PROGRAMS
• Click Windows Updates

For the most part every software program will notify you that their updates ready to be installed. However, if you want to make sure your company is current with Microsoft,  Adobe, and any other application you use, turn to your IT department or IT provider. Your IT team should be able to coordinate to have all the computers updated; they can also coordinate updates to be done at specific times so that the user is not interrupted of services. For example, your IT team can decide to run updates at 11pm at night every Wednesday, this will ensure all computers are up to date while avoiding an affect on productivity.

So remember, make sure you are running the latest updates on your software programs in order to avoid becoming a target for hackers. Xennix will also keep you updated by posting new updates on Twitter: XennixLTD.  If you have any questions on this article or would like a free consultation, contact us at http://www.xennix.com/.

According to an article by Computerworld[i] In 2008, Microsoft reported more than 100 million users for SharePoint. Of course by now the number has increased tremendously. However, even though some companies have SharePoint they are not utilizing it to its fullest potential and others have been hesitant to start.

Why is SharePoint sometimes feared?

The truth is that at first SharePoint can be a little intimidating; it contains code, tables, list, and these at first glance can seem overwhelming. However, after the learning curve you realize that SharePoint is very easy to use, and although it does contain some code, you don’t have to be a programmer to utilize it. Of course, it needs to be set up by a Microsoft Certified Professional but the end user does have the flexibility to add lists, forms, and communities that are useful to your specific needs. When Xennix deployed SharePoint, we also had to go through a learning curve. In fact, we are still learning and evolving with SharePoint, as we are constantly learning new ways to utilize it.

How can SharePoint help?

Scenario 1:

You are working with a team of 5, and have to constantly share and update documents. How can you do this in a centralized location, and eliminate the need to e-mail back and forth? Also, how do you know when another team member has completed their task?

SharePoint allows you to organize projects, assign tasks that appear on Outlook’s calendar, and collaborate with team members on documents. I specifically like the Check Out/ Check In feature, because it allows you to see who is currently editing the document and who was the last one to make changes. Another feature is to set a blog that will allow the 5 team members to communicate on that project, and share ideas and post comments regarding the project.

In regards to this scenario, a client who recently started using SharePoint said the following: “SharePoint allows me to share files with my employees in India. It is fast and has the option to “check out” a document. This avoids somebody else changing the file while you are working on it.” Jullisa Koolman, CEO Caribea Consultancy Ltd.

There are more features that make SharePoint so valuable:

• Accessing documents and data from anywhere in the world
• Allowing clients to also share with you documents in a secure central location
• Working offline on documents, tasks, blogs, and then synching later on
• Create reports that matter to you

For a full list of benefits and capabilities of SharePoint visit http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/en-us/product/capabilities/Pages/default.aspx - The site also has real life case studies and tips on how to better utilize SharePoint.

If you have SBS Server 2010, you already have SharePoint. You just have to start utilizing and unlocking its potential. Xennix not only recommends SharePoint, but we utilize it in our everyday tasks. To find out how SharePoint can help you, contact us at www.xennix.com for a free consultation.

Is SharePoint good for website creation?

Check out the Ferrari website http://www.ferrari.com/Pages/Gateway.aspx?CountryId=88&CountryTitle=United+States It’s a SharePoint website!

As a Sophos partner, Xennix has been deploying Sophos for antivirus and antimalware solutions for over 7 years including device control, application control and even more.  From our experience, we have seen how beneficial it is to have a solution that can be managed centrally, deployed network-wide with control over compliance, all in one package.

Let’s now take a quick look at how Sophos can be effective in day to day activities:

Why Sophos Endpoint Security client?

Put plainly, it just works!  Once deployed by your IT team, it provides on-access scanning (which means it scans anything that is read from or written to your hard drive, which by the way, is how virus and malware gets going),  host intrusion prevention and Geno-Type scanning unique only to Sophos which stops new viruses even if they have never been seen before.

Scenario 1:

An employee tries to open a website URL sent to them by their “friend” in an email. Now this could be on purpose thinking it was legitimate or automated by a spam mailing system. The employee clicks on the link thinking “Carol always sends the funniest videos, and besides I have a few moments to spare”.

Result without Sophos?

Fast forward ten minutes later; a commotion breaks out then IT is called in and running around trying to isolate it.

Result with Sophos?

Nothing.  The video never plays, the link never opened, and the IT staff was notified already of the potential compromise. Crisis averted.

Scenario 2:

Now the employee copies the URL that didn’t open and tries to right click in a different browser (i.e. Firefox) to open it.

Here is where Sophos Application Control proves useful.

Result without Application Control?

Well, if Sophos wasn’t installed at this point in Scenario 2 above, again an uproar occurs and note IT has replaced employees at their desk.

Result with Application Control?

Again, nothing happens.  If Sophos is installed, Application Control was most likely configured to block unwanted browsers other than the company policy plus IT and Admin staff has been notified.

There are many components needed to secure a business from inside and out.  Sophos should be an essential component in that mixture of hardware and software that runs your business.  We are not blaming employees for problems, but it helps prevent the No.1 reason networks get viruses or are compromised…from the inside.

If you would like to get a free trial of Sophos for effective Orlando or Bahamas IT support, please call us for more details.  If you are already a Sophos user and want to know more about the features you can leverage, we are here to help and look forward to hearing from you.  Call Xennix, the professional IT consultants, at (407)403-5198 in the US and (242)676-3721 in the Bahamas.

In our line of business, we have seen firsthand how many businesses have lost money and time by buying into the wrong technology or service.  In essence, they have suffered from hiring the wrong IT provider or consultant. This is the reason why in this blog Xennix would like to highlight key questions to ask before purchasing equipment, software, or services from an IT provider/consultant.

INTRODUCTION

When hiring an IT provider, the initial meeting is very important. Yes,  first impressions do matter! The initial meeting should be a dialogue, not a monologue.  The conversation should be engaging, and after a brief introduction, the focus of the conversation should shift to the needs of your company.  This isn’t the time to discuss what IT equipment, software or services can be sold to you.

QUESTIONS

There are several questions that need to be asked by the IT provider in order to get an idea of your business. If he fails to ask the following questions, make sure you remind them:

• What is your budget?
• What equipment is in place?
• What are your preferred vendors? (Microsoft, Linux, Lenovo, Apple, etc. )
• What do you expect to accomplish from the Service, equipment or software?
• What is your expected time line?

After these questions are asked by the IT provider, then we move on to the questions that you as a business owner inquire, or what an IT manager hiring an IT consultant would ask:

• What companies have you done work for in the past?
• Do you have any case studies available?
• How many years of experience do you have?
• How many years has your company been in business for?
• What are your payment terms?
• Are there any warranties offered?
• How exactly is your solution going to save my company money?
• Can you give me examples of how productivity will increase by buying this equipment, software, or service?
• Who are your technology partners?
• Do you have industry certifications?

Meaningful Tips

If you are evaluating an IT provider or consultant, don’t always go for the lowest quoted price.   Make sure you evaluate every item of a quote and see what all quotes really include.   Also, be wary of those who lower their quote when they sense that you think the price is too high.   It is important to get a good price, but if the IT provider/ consultant is ready to change their quote without consulting with you once more, then that means they were pricing too high from the beginning!   As with everything, you want to make sure you hire not just an IT professional, but someone who will be a loyal partner to your company.

If you want an IT support and IT services company that establishes strong, effective partnerships, contact Xennix today.  Call us at (407)403-5198 in the US and (242)676-3721 in the Bahamas.

Why do you need a CRM?

Technology when used correctly helps you strengthen your business.  It allows you to be more effective, maintain better customer service, keep accurate records, and acquire more clients. A CRM can also help you gain a competitive edge because it will allow you to offer services that your competitor might not have.

How do I know which CRM to select?

Selecting a CRM can be overwhelming, if you Google the word “crm” you get a multitude of results so where to start? Research a CRM that is recognized in your industry, this means that it has been tailored to your industry whether its technology, food, tourism, or healthcare. You may also want to consult with colleagues in your field and find out what they are using and ask them to share with you what their experience has been.  Another option to explore is having custom made software that will fit the way you operate your business. However, with the multitude of reputable companies that offer CRM’s this option seems to be only for those large corporate organizations with specific needs.

What is the cost of a CRM?

Our customers love to hear about how technology can assist them but the last question is always… how much will this cost? And this is indeed a valid question because technology should assist you in making money, it should not just make you spend money. The cost of a CRM will vary; some vendors will sell you the software and licenses upfront at a cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.00 or more depending on the size of your company and the amount of licenses you purchase. Other vendors will host the CRM for you in the cloud and charge you a minimal monthly fee. At Xennix we have utilized both options hosting the CRM ourselves and also having it in the cloud. If you are not an IT company and have limited IT staff I would suggest just letting the vendor host the software for you, the monthly fees are usually minimal and they take care of the CRM for you.

What are the CRM downfalls?

The CRM is there to assist your company.  However, there is a learning curve! Therefore, you and your staff need to be prepared to spend some hours learning about the CRM. You should have one or two people (depending on the size of the company) dedicated to learning everything there is to know about the CRM so that they can train the staff. Many vendors also provide training for the whole company and this is something that you might consider.  After all, what is the point of having a car if you don’t know how to drive it!  Many critics of the CRM say that CRMs are just a waste of money and time, that no one ever really masters them and that employees are reluctant to learn. That doesn’t seem fair because from our experience employees are happy to learn and embrace anything that will make their jobs easier!

At Xennix we are proud CRM users and if you would like any assistance selecting the right CRM for your industry we can point you in the right direction and offer you some guidance.
Contact us today at (407)403-5198 in Orlando and (242)676-3721 in the Bahamas.

Small businesses are an important part of any nation’s economy, but often the owners of such businesses are met with difficult obstacles in competing with larger corporations. Technology can be the innovative tool that business owners need to succeed if properly used.  The National Small Business Association conducted a survey of 200 of its small business members, titled “2010 Small Business Technology Survey.”[ii] The survey highlights how these small businesses utilize technology. 98% of business owners think technology is very, to somewhat important. Yet, 25% of business owners said that they are responsible for their own tech support, and 33% spend 2 to 3 hours a week working out IT related issues. Does this sound familiar to you? Are you a business owner that cares for your own tech support?

More challenges

On page 6 of the “2010 Small Business Technology Survey” it asks the question: What are the biggest challenges you face with your company’s use of technology? The two top answers were security issues, and cost of maintaining technology. I am not surprised by these responses, as these are the areas that concern most of our clients especially in this economy. However, the goal with technology is not to empty your pockets, quite the opposite. The goal should be to help you make money by allowing you to be more productive, resourceful, and efficient.

How to utilize technology to your advantage

There are a several things that a business owner can do to utilize technology in the best way possible:

• Define the vision and objective for your business – Think about your business-what do you want to accomplish with it? Where do you see your business going in the next 5 years? Are you thinking of expanding? Would you like to have a second location? Do you want to allow your employees to telecommute? Defining your vision for your business will be a contributing factor in deciding what type of technology solutions you will need, it will also help you avoid spending in solutions (hardware & software) that you don’t need.
• Outsource your IT troubles – A business owner should be focusing on growing their business, not fixing employees desktops or worrying about what specifications the new server should have. When you have an IT business consultant in Orlando or the Bahamas by your side, all you need to do is tell them what you want to accomplish with your business (which you would have determined from defining your vision and objective). Their job will be to find the “right” solution for your business while keeping your goals in mind along with your budget. The IT consultant should be able to demonstrate the key benefits of using any solution. Never invest in a solution that you do not understand!
• Use the right technology – Major industry leaders such as Microsoft, Cisco, Lenovo, Sophos, HP, and others recognize that small business may face unique challenges and that small business cannot afford to pay for solutions that a large corporate organization would invest in. That is why most industry leaders have created specific products that target the small business market. Since small business products are being offered, make sure you do not spend money on products made for a home user. Your IT consultant should be familiar with the small business products offered; in fact, you can ask if they are certified as a small business specialist by Cisco or Microsoft.
• Education – Even though it is recommended to outsource your IT needs, this doesn’t mean that you should stay in the dark when it comes to technology. Make sure that your IT consultant is communicating with you without the techie jargon, and that they demonstrate the business benefits of any solution in which you plan to invest.
• Care for your existing assets – Another way to efficiently use technology is by caring for the technology assets you already own. Make sure that your existing servers, computers, switches, routers, etc. are given proper care BEFORE they break! For more information on how to do this read: http://www.xennix.com/why-bother-with-monitoring-your-network/ and http://www.xennix.com/how-often-should-you-plan-to-replace-your-servers/

The future of small business & IT

The CDW IT MONITOR[iii]  created by CDW and research conducted by Richard Day Research of Evanston, Ill.   States “49 percent of IT decision makers at small businesses expect to replace or install new hardware in the next six months, up 10 percentage points from the October IT Monitor. The robust confidence level among small businesses is echoed in the medium business segment.” (The full report can be viewed at: http://www.cdwitmonitor.com/nationalMonitor_dec10.php).  As this direct quote demonstrates the confidence that small businesses have in technology is increasing at this moment. Although investing in technology does mean tapping into your pocket book, and this is a major concern for business owners, it is an investment that will allow your business to grow, and be successful.

So, if you are a business owner, ask yourself: how am I utilizing technology at this moment? Does my plan for my business include technology? Am I just spending money on technology that is not benefiting my business? Think about these questions, and if your answer is not a positive one, it is not too late to change things around!

If you would like more Orlando or Bahamas business technology information, or to contact a Business Technology Consultant, visit our website www.xennix.com

“Do passwords really have to be that intricate?”

“I use simple passwords because I can’t remember complex passwords.”

Do these questions and statements sound familiar? Maybe you are the one asking the questions, or maybe you are an IT manager who gets these questions asked all the time. In any case, this blog will focus on how to create a strong password that you can remember.  It will also discuss policies that can be implemented by IT managers in order to ensure that all company employees have a strong password.

Password overload

A study done by Microsoft Research in 2007 entitled, “A Large-Scale Study of Web Passwords Habits”, mentioned that “the average user has 6.5 passwords, each shared across 3.9 different websites. Each user has about 25 accounts that require passwords and types an average of 8 passwords per day.”

I did a survey among our employees and the average accounts requiring passwords are 71! I personally use about 12 accounts a day, and they all have different passwords. So, it can be said that there is definitely a password overload. Although the human brain, which performs amazing functions each day is capable of remembering 12 passwords, we have become accustomed to speed dial or memory dial buttons. This is the reason why many users resort to simple weak passwords. What is a weak password? A word taken out of the dictionary, a pet’s name, a city name, the name of your favorite sports team, etc.  What makes these passwords weak? The ability to crack them! Now, we won’t go into detail on how this is done, but the software to crack codes is highly available on the internet, all you have to do is Google “how to crack a password” and you get inundated with results.

Creating a strong password is not that complicated

We all understand the devastating effects of someone accessing our private data, or gaining access to our e-mail. Companies, whether they are small or large can be affected by their data being leaked, or by false information being sent out through an email account or twitter account that has been compromised.

Now, I am not saying that the use of a strong password is all you need in securing your data, but it’s one of the first steps that need to be taken in order to secure your companies trade secrets, customer list, or any other sensitive data.

So, how to go about creating a strong password? A strong password will have at least 9 characters with a variation of upper case and lower case letters, symbols, and numbers. The best way for me to create a password that is both long and complex is to use a phrase. This is no trade secret and is something that most of the IT security companies and industry leaders recommend.

Let’s take the phrase “Monkeys eat bananas, mice eat cheese, and elephants eat peanuts.” easy to remember right? You can come up with your own phrase to make this step easier. Now let’s turn it into a password: M38m3c&E3p* – I used upper case and lower case, numbers, and symbols. To confirm my password strength I used the Microsoft password checker https://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx  my password measure is “strong”.

How will I remember a complex password for each account?

The key is to not use the same password, so you will need different passwords and different phrases which makes it a bit more complex to remember but don’t despair  you don’t have to memorize all the different passwords there is software that can help you manage all your “strong” passwords. A password manager will allow you to have many different accounts, and passwords the software will even allow you to categorize your accounts. For example, I use RoboForm and categorize my accounts into 2 categories: personal and business.   I then just use one password to access my many accounts and passwords.  Another helpful tool are fingerprint readers. If your laptop has a finger print reader and a tool to manage your passwords all you have to do is swipe your finger! The Lenovo laptops come with the Thinkvantage password manager, which is also a tool that we use at Xennix.

IT Managers Responsibility

Lastly, it is the responsibility of the IT manager or the company that you outsource your IT needs to help you comply with policies that will make your passwords secure for example:

• Password complexity: Set rules to establish how complex a password should be
• Password length: Set how many characters a password should have
• Password age: Set a time limit for the use of the password  and prompt users to change their passwords at least once every quarter.

It is our hope at Xennix that we encouraged you to create “strong” passwords today!  If you have any questions or wish to contact us please check us out at www.xennix.com

You might also find the links below useful and informative:

Video done by Sophos in which he explains how to create a strong password:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYzguTdOmmU

Best Practices for password policy
http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/simplest-security-guide-better-password-practices

http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/simplest-security-guide-better-password-practices

If you work in the IT dept. read scenario 2:

Scenario 1: Staff encounters problem

You are working on a document and when you go to save it you get an error, then you realize you have not received new e-mail in the past 2 hours. At this point you start seeing errors pop up on your screen, and finally you start hearing others complain “what’s going on” ,”are you having problems saving” “I can’t email out”. By this point 30 minutes have elapsed… you then proceed to contact the IT dept., and they start trouble shooting the problem, 30 more minutes pass before IT solves the issue. The result is that your staff has lost an hour of productivity and the company has lost some revenue!

Scenario 2: IT dept.

You are working on an important project that needs to be implemented today.  All of a sudden you get a wave of calls: “I cannot access the internet” “I cannot e-mail out” ,”I cannot save to the network drive” “I have 3 error messages, and I don’t know what to do.” At this point your important project implementation has to be put on HOLD so that you can address the issues of the staff. You begin to troubleshoot while continuing to take more calls of frustrated users. Troubleshooting pin points the problem; you fix the issue, and let everyone know that they can continue to work and that the issue has been resolved. However, you are now an hour behind schedule and you probably won’t finish your project on time.

Both scenarios could have been avoided by simply “MONITORING YOUR NETWORK” – In fact monitoring your network gives you a valuable thing: Knowledge. Imagine if you were able to receive an alert the minute the power goes out or the internet goes down. Then you can communicate with your staff before the incoming wave of frustrated phone calls. You can also receive warnings of possible future problems, which will allow you to act accordingly. What else can you check?  With monitoring software you are able to check on the health of your network on a daily basis. How much disk space is my server using? Is someone who doesn’t have authorization trying to log on to the server? What is the server fan speed and temperature? What patches do I need to deploy? Are the backups successful? The knowledge that you acquire from the monitoring software is what allows you to be preemptive, so that you can foresee and prevent a network outage or so that you can pin point the problem with more accuracy; saving you precious time.

What items can be monitored?

Every single item on your network can be monitored, your workstations, servers, routers, switches, and anti-virus software. Monitoring software also includes inventory asset tracking, which allows you to know exactly what technology your network is running, and it provides information such as the age of the equipment in the network. The inventory asset feature allows you to make informative decisions and to plan ahead, you can begin to plan what equipment needs to be replaced or upgraded. The items mentioned above are the basic features in monitoring software, but you can get a lot more complex features depending on the software that you purchase. For example Cisco offers the Smart Care service which is monitoring software along with hardware, for all your Cisco equipment. This service goes beyond monitoring the basic health of your Cisco hardware, it also allows both you and your Cisco partner to monitor, diagnose, and repair any problem by being preemptive. The Cisco Smart Care service also includes the support of the Cisco Technical Assistance Center, Next Business Day replacement, major updates, remote monitoring, periodic assessments of Cisco network foundation, voice, and security technologies, and much more. Cisco is not the only one to offer robust monitoring software, with a little research you will find a few trusted award winning companies who specialize in network monitoring, However, I should warn that some of these software’s are not cheap and can start at about $4,000 dollars!

So, back to the original question – Why bother with network monitoring?

Because your network is your backbone! The health of your network is key to the success of your business and whether you are a business owner or an IT manager, you want your company to succeed. It cannot be explained any further, if you wait until something breaks to take action you are losing:

• Valuable time
• Valuable Resources
• Money
• ROI
• Communication with vendors, employees, and most important CLIENTS!

The cost is too high?

True, I did mention an example of a monitoring software that costs $4,000 dollars, but as mentioned before, that depends on the features of the software and the fact that many provide additional services. However, monitoring software can also be very affordable! In fact, Xennix provides an affordable monitoring plan for your server, desktops, and switches so there is no excuse for IT managers or owners not to monitor their network.

Free Trial?

If after reading this article you are still skeptical, how about a free trial? Yes, I said free! If you are a business owner Xennix can monitor your network, and act before you realize you have a problem, allowing you to focus on your business operations and not on IT problems. If you are an IT manager, Xennix can also give you a helping hand and allow you to focus on the important task at hand; we will make you look like a hero!

Visit www.xennix.com for more information!

Equipment Quality?

Determining the quality of the equipment you are purchasing is a key factor when thinking of replacing IT equipment. How is this so?  If you are purchasing a server based solely on a budget price, it will most likely be limited in capabilities and specifications. From experience, we have seen how some companies try to pass a workstation as a server in order to save money. This is unacceptable, however if your company is operating in this manner, the life cycle of your “server” will be short!  You have to consider that your server needs to have the capacity to “grow” with your company for at least 3 to 5 years, and it should be dependable so it doesn’t end up costing you more money to maintain it. The lesson here is plan accordingly to your needs, and buy a dependable, reliable, server with the right specifications, this way it can last you at least 3 years or more.

Equipment Warranty

Most manufacturers will offer a 1-3 year warranty on their servers depending on the model, and you can upgrade the warranty up to a 5^th year on some models.  However, there is a tendency for the upgrade in warranty to be a bit pricier. Therefore, Xennix would recommend to only utilize the server for critical data and operations while it is under warranty for two reasons:

1. 1. It is less likely to fail
2. If you do encounter a problem with the hardware, it can be replaced at no additional cost!

As a side point it always makes sense to utilize redundancies such as RAID for your hard drives and redundant power supplies.

Equipment Value

It is important to communicate with your accounting department on the method used to depreciate your IT equipment. The depreciation for IT equipment is 3 to 5 years, depending on what accounting principle your company uses and the tax laws of your area, but usually by the 5^th year your server has been fully depreciated and written off from the books. Therefore, it is important to communicate with the accounting department on this matter and for the most part when purchasing new equipment the accounting department is in charge of disbursing the funds so it’s always a good idea to be on the same page when it comes to equipment’s life cycles and a timeline for replacements.

Budgetary Concerns

Money is always a primary factor in considering when to replace IT equipment, and in these tough economic times, a lot of business owners are choosing to wait before replacing equipment.  The mentality of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” prevails.  To avoid limping along with outdated equipment, it is a good idea to discuss what your company’s policy to replace equipment will be.  Again, it all boils down to communication.  If you are an IT manager, speak with the accounts department and owner or decision maker, and let them know clearly the cost of NOT replacing equipment. A good rule of thumb will be to replace equipment before it starts to cost more money to maintain it and before it begins to affect the productivity of your employees. Time is money and so is lost productivity.  It is also a wise decision to determine the policy of replacing servers to avoid unexpected cost which typically tends to happen with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality.

As you can see, deciding when to replace your IT equipment really depends on your organization, its needs, and its accounting principles. However, as an IT manager or decision maker in your company you play a vital role in helping your company; decide what your policy for replacing servers should be.

Xennix recommends that all four factors mentioned be taken into consideration and, as IT Business consultants, we can assist you in the process of determining your company’s replacement policy. Xennix also recommends monitoring your servers as a way to prevent or detect problems before they bring your business down.  Visit www.xennix.com for more information on our network monitoring packages.

Although this news may be exciting and will inspire some major changes, I don’t foresee Xennix jumping on the bandwagon just yet, due to cost. ICANN charges $185,000 per domain application, a long with 150 pages of policy, this amount of money doesn’t even include the technical setup and upkeep. Therefore, although I like the idea, and this shows us that the internet is evolving, I think the SMB sector will be sticking to the name endings we are used to.

Why? The reason everyone is talking about the cloud is because it’s this generation’s “it” thing, just like the idea of portable laptops was years ago. The problem though is that with everyone talking about the cloud, the meaning of the cloud has been lost. So, before we proceed any further, let’s discuss the definition.

WHAT? What exactly is the cloud? If you look up the definition, you would get many definitions based on who is providing the cloud service. In fact in writing this newsletter, I came across those who say that hosted services can be defined as cloud services and that any application that you use outside your network is the cloud. There are those who oppose those definitions and even say that the cloud is a marketing scheme. So, in order for us not to get confused, we have to dig a little deeper and stay true to its definition.

In 2009, “The National Institute of Standards and Technology” (NIST), defined cloud computing as “a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.” In other words, you can access servers, data, and applications through a web browser from anywhere in the world, at any time, day or night. There are also 3 types of cloud models; Public, Private, and Hybrid. As an interesting side point, the term the cloud comes from the drawing used to depict the Internet in computer network diagrams.

Now that we have ironed out the definition of the cloud, let’s go back to why the cloud has caused so much hype. The fact is that we are producing insurmountable amounts of data, voice, and video, and companies need to think of inventive ways to create capabilities to handle such amounts of storage without having to invest in new infrastructure, licensing, and training. The cloud allows for companies to offset this cost by providing subscription based services through the Internet.

Are you benefiting from the cloud?

In our experience, many of our clients have been skeptical about cloud services. There is no reason to be alarmed, though, if the right research is done. Do you bank online? Do you have a Gmail or Hotmail account? Do you have a Facebook account? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you are already benefiting from the cloud on a personal level. However, some business owners are still hesitant about the security of the cloud, and are skeptical about the cloud when it comes to their business.

When it comes to the level of security in the cloud, there is a lot to say! Notable, let’s not forget that
both Hotmail and Gmail have had online mail failures and security compromises. So yes, we can recognize that security is a topic of concern for everyone in the cloud, but you cannot live under a rock and hide away from something that may benefit you, so if you are interested in the cloud Xennix recommends:

- Research the cloud service being offered (The best way to fight any skepticism when it comes to the cloud is by educating yourself)

- Be security conscious – ask the right IT provider for guidance when selecting a cloud service

- Have a disaster recovery plan. This is for all companies, those that use cloud services and those who don’t!

The bottom line is that there has to be a reason for deciding to use a cloud based service so first decide whether or not a Cloud application will achieve its purposes; which is to save you money, allow you and your employees 24/7 access and make your business innovative.

So, what does this all mean to me? It basically means no matter what the hype, you have to act based on what benefits your company. The cloud can cut costs, if implemented properly.

Does Xennix use any cloud services?

Yes, we do. Our monitoring backend is cloud based as well as our online backup service. Brian Ritchie, CEO and President of Xennix states; “Under a certain set of circumstances we do recommend services like Exchange 2010, Office Live Communications server, etc., especially when the client cannot or does not want to purchase licenses and hardware along with services to implement them. Cloud services can allow clients to establish a setup without any upfront cost and in little time. They just pay a low monthly subscription fee based only on resources that they use. No owning required or purchasing and little to no support costs.”

In conclusion, don’t fear the cloud! It seems that’s where the industry is going, but do take your time to decide what is best for your company. If you would like to explore the cloud based services that Xennix offers feel free to ask us as many questions as you want, remember we are here to strengthen your company through technology!

This situation can be frustrating, and it has happened to Xennix in the past, as recently as this week! Xennix was utilizing a well- known manufacturer of storage devices for our SAN solutions, but effective this week, our distributor will no longer be permitted to export this item to the Bahamas. As a result, we have had to change our solutions based on this new information. There have been several times we at Xennix has had to tell clients that we have to alter the solution based on not being able to import the technology to the Bahamas. This is why I decided to do some research on the matter, and share it with SMB IT providers and managers.

After receiving the news from our distributor about not being able to import the storage device, I spoke to the manufacturer directly and it was explained to me that the reason for not being able to export to the Bahamas was due to the “US export regulations covering encryption technology.” I was intrigued and immediately started to look for information in regards to the US export laws. The information below is what I have found in my research and I would like to share it with you:

The Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) maintains the Commerce Control List (CCL) within the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The CCL is divided into 10 categories; number 3 is Electronics, 4 is Computers, 5 is Telecommunications, and then Information Security. The regulations are complex, but this is what helps manufacturers of software and hardware determine whether they can export their products with or without a license. Encryption Items (EI) fall under the items that are controlled, and classified as a “dual use item”. This means it can be used for good or bad purposes. The “encryption strength, function of encryption, destination country, intended use, and even the destination organization and users” are covered. (“A Guide to Software Encryption Export Compliance” blackducksoftware.com Black Duck Software, Inc. Web. 6/07/2011)

The reason for the regulations of export (according to the Guiding Principles of the Bureau of Industry and Security) is to protect the security of the United States, which includes national security, economic security, cyber security, and homeland security. (Retrieved from www.bis.doc.gov/about/bisguidingprinciples.htm. )

Following the law in regards to the US export laws is very important for manufacturers and software developers. They are expected to comply and if not, they are fined. They can fill out the proper paper work and contact BXA in order of determining whether they need a license to export their item. There are also law firms that specialize in export compliance.

I cannot say whether or not the manufacturer of storage devices that Xennix was utilizing will be able to export to the Bahamas in the future. I am sure that they are in compliance with the US export regulations, as they are a major manufacturer. Although it pains me not to be able to use them anymore, Xennix would never go through a back door to try to import items that cannot be imported legally or be covered by warranty. I hope this information will help you next time you hear “sorry we cannot export to the Bahamas due to US export regulations”.

Xennix has seen this happen first hand, as one of our employee’s laptops was stolen from their house a few weeks ago. Although we were not concerned about data loss or confidential records being leaked due to our high security standards, we did recognize that we had lost a physical asset.  Recovering lost or stolen laptops is something businesses are faced with every day, and some businesses are smart and implement security policies such as:

• Making sure employees only save on the network drives
• Backing up all data including emails
• Using Encryption key and a BIOS password

Most businesses would rather recover the physical asset and see the bad guys get caught, like in the case of Joshua Kaufman.  Xennix has researched some different tracking applications and services to implement for ourselves and for those clients who are interested.  Read on to see our findings.

A very popular option is Prey at http://preyproject.com/ .  This software only requires 2-3 megs of RAM in windows and its basic account is free of charge. It will sound an alarm, show a message, or lock down the device when you realize it has been stolen. It will track your device when a thief tries to connect to the internet and it will generate the location of your device and a picture of the thief. With this information you can help the police track your device. Prey also has a PreyPro package which allows you to track up to 500 devices. According to Preyproject.com, their laptop tracking device works all over the world.

Although Prey also works with Macs, Apple has its own software called Hidden. You can check that option at http://hiddenapp.com/

Another popular tracking agent is LoJack for laptops by Absolute Software. This option, although slightly more expensive, provides extra features.  LoJack comes with a Theft Recovery Team that works with you and local law enforcement. It also locks your computer remotely and you can remotely delete personal files, pictures, or confidential data.  It is also the only software that offers a persistent patented technology. What does this do exactly? Well, thieves have gotten smarter over time and the first thing they may want to do with your laptop is wipe it.  What if that happens?  A testimony obtained from LoJack’s website states that “if the software is maliciously removed from your hard drive, it can silently reinstall itself.”

LoJack works with computer manufacturers to embed the Computrace Agent into the firmware of computers. You can find the models that have this technology embedded on their website.

At Xennix, we understand that the first line of defense is physical security-don’t leave your laptop in your car and don’t let it out of your sight at an airport.  However, there are things that our out of our control, and for those situations these agents can come in handy and increase the chances of recovering your laptop. A tracking agent, along with physical security, a BIOS password, and encryption are steps you can take to protect your very valuable assets!

As a side note, there may be privacy concerns with all tracking software, but you can read about their privacy policies on their websites.

Below are a few links with information to consider:

http://www.ponemon.org/local/upload/fckjail/generalcontent/18/file/Cost%20of%20a%20Lost%20Laptop%20White%20Paper%20Final%203.pdf

http://preyproject.com/

http://blog.lojackforlaptops.com/2011/04/persistence-pays%e2%80%94laptop-with-wiped-drive-is-recovered/

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/corporate-dossier/recovering-a-stolen-laptop/articleshow/8706816.cms

Every year we get warnings about being prepared for a hurricane.  In the back of our minds, we recognize that a plan of action for our business is needed if a disaster was to strike. The truth is, though, sometimes we get complacent because we have been fortunate enough not to experience a direct hit from a strong hurricane.  Consider this fact, according to the Florida Disaster Organization almost 40% of small businesses that close due to a disaster event never re-open.

Now think about these questions:  How would you access your data for your business after a hurricane?  Do you have a plan in place for your employees to work from a different location in case your building or offices were to be damaged?  How would your clients reach you after a disaster?  Do you have electronic copies of vital documents that can be accessed after a disaster?  Do you have an offsite location with backups of your data?  Will you still have access to your email, or will your email be lost if your server crashed?

These are important questions to be considered now!  Don’t procrastinate!  Start working on your business continuity plan! If you already have one, then check that it is up to date.

Things to consider for your Business Continuity Plan:

· Document and record what vital records or databases you should have electronic copies of and consider backing them up offsite
· Identify things that will help you mitigate a power failure in case of a strong storm, such as a generator and UPS devices
· Speak to your network administrator about your IT infrastructure and how long before it can be brought back on line after a disaster
· Write a plan which details your actions and have a simulation drill to ensure your plan works.

Xennix can help you with your business continuity plan when it comes to IT related matters!  We are here to guide you through this process. Visit us at www.xennix.com or call a business technology consultant today at  (407) 403-5198 in the USA or  (242) 676-3721 in the Bahamas.

• Pick a password with many different characters to strengthen its security. This should include upper and lower case letters, numbers, and other characters such as “@” and “%”. In addition, even a strong password should still be changed every 60 days.
• Using a well-known and industry leading anti-virus software will help to prevent a virus outbreak that can stem for a malicious e-mail. Xennix recommends Sophos for Small Business and Enterprises.
• Different user names should be used for personal and work e-mail accounts. This will make it harder for those targeting you for malevolent e-mails to tie you to multiple accounts.
• Secure E-mail protocols are very important for ensuring secure access to e-mails. Some examples of e-mail protocols are Secure IMAP and Secure POP3.
• E-mail protocols work to prevent others from reading e-mail while in transit between your computer and the mail server. This is essential for any network and can be configured in the options for most e-mail clients.
• Be careful about unsolicited e-mails that have attachments and links along with them. It might be best to delete these e-mails if you aren’t familiar with the sender or the URL links that go along with them.
• E-mails that request personal information are an immediate red flag. Any web service that you currently conduct business with should have this information to begin with.

Taking these precautions should help you avoid becoming a victim of hackers and spam campaigns. If you have a business and would like to discuss your network security, call us and we can set up a security network assessment to make sure your business is security standards and best practices.

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• Secure access to business information while preventing the information from being copied into, sent from or used by personal applications like Facebook®, Twitter®, Windows Live™ Hotmail, Google Mail™ or Yahoo!® Mail accounts.

• Business data or files created by business applications cannot be used by personal applications.

• If a user attempts an action that is prohibited by IT policy, a notification is displayed on the device.

• If an employee leaves the organization, an administrator can remotely wipe business information from the device while leaving personal information intact.

• If a device is lost or stolen, an administrator can wipe all information from the device to help ensure that sensitive business information and the user’s personal information don’t fall into the wrong hands.

BlackBerry Balance is available only on BlackBerry devices and can be applied to employee- or company-owned smartphones. It is built into BlackBerry® Enterprise Server 5.0.3 and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express 5.0.3 (available this week) for Microsoft® Exchange® or IBM® Lotus® Domino®. It also requires the latest version of BlackBerry® 6 Device Software*.

It was recently announced that BlackBerry Balance is compatible with the new BlackBerry 7 OS. BlackBerry 7 will also work in conjunction with BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0.3 and will be featured on the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones.

If the answer to the above questions is “yes”, you are not alone. A lot of IT managers and business owners who are faced with budget constraints, have opted to settle in an effort to save money at the initial purchase. However, such decisions can end up costing your company more money. How exactly does settling for cheap network solutions cost more money? Well, network infrastructure that is purchased based on price more than likely can only handle the basic necessities of your business, nothing more. It would not be future proof or allow for scalability of operations. Tying your hands like that can signify that you are not equipped for what every business wants: GROWTH. Most business owners will agree that the goal of their business is to expand, innovate, and of course make money! However, you cannot grow or be efficient without a strong foundation. Your network infrastructure, made up of servers, switches, routers, cabling, phone systems and applications are the key to staying in business and remaining relevant! How so?

Let’s say that your competitor has launched a new service and/or product. In order for you to compete with them, you might need to run a new application or applications, or even add employees. But in doing so you quickly find that your infrastructure is not capable of adapting with you! What do you do in a situation like that? Most will rush to patch or upgrade, but the realization may hit that now your business is struggling to operate due to reliability issues. One issue leads to another, and more and more cash is dished out just to keep your business operational. This situation can be quite frustrating. This though can help you come to the uncomfortable conclusion that more than quick patches are needed.

How can this situation be avoided? What do other companies do in such a situation? For starters, stop looking at your network as just equipment and stop viewing the purchase of such equipment as just cost. Whether you are an IT manager or a business owner, you need to change how you view your network infrastructure. In reality, technology IS the backbone or foundation of any company. View the money that you spend on it as an investment that will be paid back in efficiency, reliability and profitability. When making decisions on moving forward consider the TOC (Total Cost of Ownership) as well as the ROI.(Return on Investment)

As we have noted, settling for cheap equipment will cost you more in the long run. Also consider that when your network is not working to its full potential, it is costing you employee productivity which translates into lost revenue. Only when you view your network as the heart of your company will you be able to move forward and concentrate on making profits.

How do you plan for a scalable network? If you are an IT manager, we encourage you to speak to the business owner about their goals for the business. Ask them questions like: What type of services do we plan to offer next year? Do you plan on launching new products? How many more clients would you like to service? If you are a business owner consider these same questions as well. Your business plan and your technology plan should work hand in hand.

If you find it hard to answer some of these questions then here are some key findings that may assist you:

• In 2009 alone, humans created more data than in all prior years combined 1
• 60 percent of employees believe they don’t need to be in the office to be productive and efficient 2
• Two-thirds of employees believe they should be able to access either work or personal information using company devices at any time from any location 3
• By 2014, video is forecast to constitute 91 percent of global network traffic 4

Use some of these findings, along with your company business plan to map out your networks future. To assist you with this, a company like Xennix can help you in planning out your network foundation. Xennix can bring other considerations to the table such as hosted services or virtualization that will add to your foundation and also save you money.

Xennix is ready to help you trace a road map to success utilizing technology. Visit us at www.xennix.com and speak to a business technology consultant today!

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1. MIT Sloan Management Review, “Big Data, Analytics and the Path from Insights to Value.”
2. Cisco Connected World Report, 2010
3. Cisco Connected World Report, 2010
4. Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile data Traffic Forecast Update, 2010-2015

The installation of photovoltaic solar panels not only helps to reduce energy consumption costs in the long run, but it also is iconic for a business committing to sustainability and its cognizance of other energy sources.  The trend is starting to have momentum-companies are taking steps to contribute to sustainability.  Here are some major corporations that have been integrating solar power technology into their data centers:

Cisco-In Allen, Texas, their facility has solar panels on the roof and also captures rainwater to be used in irrigation systems

BendBroad-Their facility in Bend, Oregon uses a solar array that’s capable of providing 18% of the power to the first phase of their building.  They also attempt to offset as much electricity usage as they can by purchasing renewable energy through local utilities

Facebook-In Prineville, Oregon, a large array of solar panels powers the office areas and mechanical rooms of their data center.

To learn more about what data centers have been working on to improve efficiency and utilize renewable energy, click the link here.

Here are some tips for business owners to secure their internet usage and increase their network defense while using a Windows host operating system:

-Keeping your application software up to date is essential for patching any parts that can be exploited.

-Limiting the use of administrator permissions so every user can’t have exactly the same capabilities.  This is important so other users can’t install software or allow updates that may have a negative impact on the network.

-If you’re using a fairly outdated OS (Windows 2000, Windows XP), many database applications don’t have the current embedded code.  This can lead to malicious codes being delivered by conflicting with more recent XML formats.

-One of the most important factors in a secure home network is having a modern OS and hardware platform.  Widows 7 and Vista are far more secure than former operating systems because of advanced security capabilities.

-More importantly than having a new OS and hardware platform is possessing full disk encryption. This will prevent data disclosure in the event your computer is stolen.  This is more applicable towards laptops and other portable computing devices on your work network.

-Since laptops are obviously far more portable than desktops, they are more susceptible to being taken in the event of burglary in the workplace.  Encryption of laptops for a business is essential for protecting your company’s valuable information.

If you’re looking for a professional company that can partner with you to provide for your network security needs, Xennix is your solution.  Contact us today at 407-403-5198 in the US or 242-676-3721 in the Bahamas or click on Live Chat at the top of our web site to instantly speak with a representative.

The question arises; How can my business survive and even do better?

One of the factors that can help businesses become efficient and successful, is to use “technology”. The problem that most businesses run into though, is that not just any technology solution is the RIGHT technology solution for your business. In fact, if an incorrect technology solution is chosen, your business can actually be put into a worse position than it was in before! This can translate into thousands or even millions of dollars of productivity that can be irrecoverable.

The other factor business owners and IT administrators encounter is finding a way to properly and efficiently “support” current technology solutions or to find new innovative ways of implementing new technology. Should you research all the technologies? Do you invest time and resources in learning about all these different technologies in the hope of finding the right one?

Or do you do the SMART thing and outsource your headaches and worries to a company whose main focus is business technology? It is a proven fact that outsourcing these headaches or pains to an adapting company will allow you to focus on your business and reduce your overhead costs substantially.

For example, instead of having to hire an IT staff at around $30k per year, per employee, you can get an expertly qualified company that specializes in business technology for a much lower yearly cost. This can tremendously reduce payroll, insurance, etc, and improve profitability for a small to medium sized business.

If you already have an IT staff, hiring a consulting company will again work hand in hand with your existing staff to maintain your current infrastructure while helping them innovate. They then can concentrate on other projects and solutions that require substantial time and attention that normally would have sat to the side.

In short, allowing an IT consulting company like Xennix to work with your business can help improve, update, and optimize your business infrastructure. This translates into having a dependable team and solid infrastructure, which in turn translates into efficiency and profitability!
So you may be asking yourself:
How do I get started?

Where can I go to find the right IT business technology for my company?

Visit Xennix NEW website @ www.xennix.com to find out more information about our services and you can even live chat with a Consultant right now with any questions you may have! Also, the first 100 visitors can enter to win a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop by registering their emails on the newsletter field.

At Xennix we are ready to help you beat the odds and use technology to strengthen your business and level of success.