Thanks to the Asus Eee PC’s debut into mass consciousness, netbooks – tiny, low-powered laptops with screen sizes of 11 inches or smaller – have seen a significant jump in popularity and a huge chunk of the PC market share worldwide.

Its streamlined features, expansive connectivity options and relatively cheap price points are indeed compelling qualities why it’s become a weapon of choice for end-users from both the consumer and the business markets. In the small and medium-sized business segment, these factors can prove beneficial as IT companies are seeing the values of a mobile office as a definite game-changer.

As a result, we’re seeing a slow netbook penetration into the business segment, especially with the recent economic downturn forcing many IT companies to start pinching their pennies without risking productivity.

But is the netbook indeed ready for SMB primetime?

While most companies across different industries have easily implemented netbook use among its employees, it’s best to first assess if it will even be a logically sound computing platform for your business. After all, we have to understand that technology is not a one-size-fits-all solution; there will always be varying preferences and restrictions that’ll determine if it’s a viable route to take on.

Generally, netbooks are intended for content consumption rather than creation and so they carry the bare minimum of capacities in their components. Normal specs include a mere gigabyte of RAM, relatively slower processor speeds and smaller screen sizes with decent enough resolutions and oftentimes accompanied by entry-level graphics cards.

As limited as they are, you can still run various applications like word processors and a handful of non-resource hogging business software packages among many others. This makes it perfect for bookkeepers and sales people who deal with spreadsheets and simple financial applications, and for the IT support personnel running basic diagnostics.

While its small frame offers portability and storage advantages, it may do so at the expense of ergonomics. For one, the keyboard and the touchpad (along with its accompanying mouse keys) have been reduced to fit the smaller palm rest. Another important thing this highlights is the smaller screen real estate, which naturally comes with a potential decrease in onscreen multitasking. Sure, you can just as easily buy full-sized external input devices and a secondary display panel (also, throw in an external optical drive because that is usually missing) but it may not sit well with your purchasing department as it can be seen as unnecessary additional purchases.

On the other hand, road warriors will find a reliable companion in the netbook with its lightweight, compact form factor that offers smart mobility technology without disrupting productivity even when on-the-go. Its support for most connectivity options, matched by the growing ubiquity of wireless connections from network providers, boosts this flexibility even further.

To complement these, you can leverage a wealth of Software as a Service providers, as well as other cloud computing services and tools readily available. Ranging from simple word processing and storage to online collaboration and other functionalities, both paid and free, these services make sure both the communication with the headquarters and the flow of mission critical processes remain unbridled without taking a single byte out of your hard drive.

While it won’t be your heavy-duty workhorse for system-intensive tasks, netbooks bring a lot of benefits to the table, and will most likely be crucial tools to supplementing a full-featured work laptop or desktop PC. Though these should help you start determining if netbook adoption is right for your company, there are many other technical aspects specific to your set IT infrastructure that you need to take a look at. Contact our IT experts at All Covered to find out how you can address these issues, and how you can optimize netbooks for your company.

The previous article in this cloud computing series explained the general definition of cloud computing and discussed some of the general features that all cloud computing vendors offer.  Now that you have a basic idea of what cloud computing is, this article will take you beyond the basics that vendors offer and focus on the nature of cloud computing.

Types of clouds

Cloud computing can be divided into three different models: public, hybrid, and private.  While the three models have common traits (as explained in the last article), they also have different key features that might make one model a better choice to meet your business’s IT needs.  Below are the key features of each model.

Public cloud- This type of cloud computing is the traditional model that everyone thinks of when they envision cloud computing.  In this model, vendors dynamically allocate resources (hard drive space, RAM, and processor power) on a per-user basis through web applications.  Salesforce.com and ADP are two well-known vendors that offer public cloud computing services.

• Unlimited access- As long as you have internet access and a compatible device such as a smart phone or laptop computer, you can access your data anywhere.
• Unlimited data capacity- Public cloud computing is flexible to meet your business’s growing data storage and processing needs.

Hybrid cloud-This model combines your business’s hardware with cloud computing.  Generally, one of your business applications such as Exchange Server 2007 or Microsoft Dynamics will interact with a vendor-hosted service.  For example, Cisco, traditionally recognized for networking hardware, offers IronPort Email Security as their hybrid solution and Google, known for hosted solution, offers Postini email archiving.

• Hardware required- Hybrid cloud computing requires that you have or purchase hardware to interact with the hosted solution.
• Software required- In addition to hardware requirements, your business will need to have or purchase the software to manipulate and store data.

Private cloud- Also known as “internal cloud computing,” private cloud computing is the next generation of virtualization.  While similar to virtualization at the server, workstation and application levels, private cloud computing has enhanced features that appeal to many businesses.  Two examples of private cloud solutions are VMware vCloud and Citrix VDI.

• Increased data security- You and your business are in control of security since data never leaves your network.
• Simple compliance enforcement- Depending upon your vertical market, government regulations may prohibit your business from using traditional or hybrid cloud computing.  Private cloud computing lets you take advantage of cloud computing features while keeping all regulated data onsite and secure.
• Customized IT network control- By keeping your cloud private, you are free to customize your network to meet your specific business needs.

Learn more

To learn more about which cloud computing model will best meet your business needs, please contact the IT consulting experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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Cloud computing is a generic, catch-all term that many people use to explain many different IT concepts, solutions and services that might or might not be actually be cloud computing.  Because cloud computing is constantly evolving, the IT industry has had a difficult time creating a concrete definition for the concept.  This article will focus on defining the basic nature of cloud computing, which won’t change, regardless of how cloud computing evolves.

What it is

Cloud Computing is an IT service intended for business use that vendors such as Salesforce.com, Rackspace and WebSense offer “on-demand.”  Vendors provide “on-demand” services such as CRM, off-site storage, hosted email solutions, secure web portals, etc.  Instead of spending money on applications and hardware, businesses have access to the same resources without the commitment of ownership.

Where it’s located

Because services are provided over the internet, the vendor can be located anywhere in the world and it won’t impact quality of service.     Businesses can access most purchased solutions through a secure device such as a workstation, laptop or smartphone and a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox.

Key characteristics

While each cloud computing vendor will operate with a slightly different business plan, all vendors do share similarities.

• Affordable- As an “on-demand” service, vendors will only charge businesses for the resources used.  Typically, you will sign a contract of some sort, but the terms are flexible and should meet your business needs.
• Scalable- Most vendors provide cloud computing services to organizations of any size.  Your business will not be restricted by its number of users or amount of data.
• Self-service- While vendors will maintain the hardware and the solution, your business will be responsible for maintaining all data.
• Multi-tenancy- Vendors store data from multiple companies on the same hardware.  Don’t worry; your business’s data will be kept separate and secure through application architecture, while sharing resources such as storage, memory and processing power.
• Redundant data storage- Most solutions provide multiple physical sites where they will store multiple copies of data, making cloud computing suitable for businesses that need high-availability.

Key Benefits

Every business that uses cloud computing solutions will realize many benefits.  While some benefits will be particular to your individual business, two key benefits that all businesses realize are as follows:

• No out-of-pocket infrastructure costs- With cloud computing, your business won’t need to buy additional servers, hardware or networking equipment to take advantage of a solution.
• Simple to support- Vendors will service and support their solution, upgrading and patching your solution so you don’t have to.

Types of solutions

• Managed email- Many vendors offer solutions that will work well at your physical business site and on you mobile devices such as iPhones, Blackberries and other smartphones.
• Email Archiving- With cloud computing, your business can store an unlimited amount of email, providing your business with a clear audit trail.
• Secure Web Gateway- This cloud computing solution will babysit your network by limiting access to specific web pages and blocking access to others.  This enhanced security will help protect your entire IT network from malware.
• CRM- Vendors such as Salesforce.com and Dynamics provide customizable customer management, sales, and marketing campaign tools for your business.
• Finance/Accounting- The vendor will host the software application, process the data, integrate it with taxes and also take care of payroll, expenses and other business needs.

To learn more

To learn more about cloud computing and how your business will benefit from one or more of the available solutions, please contact the outsource IT consulting experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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Application virtualization is the most recent addition to IT virtualization.  Virtualizing applications allows you to install any software application onto a server (virtual or physical) and access it from any networked computer, regardless of the computer’s operating system.  Virtual applications are packaged and delivered to networked workstations in a way that keeps them separate from everything else that is running on the computer.  Virtualizing programs will prevent application conflict and will decrease the workload on networked machines, which will keep down the costs of updating workstation hardware.

Advantages

There are multiple advantages to adopting application virtualization as part of your business’s comprehensive IT plan.  Several of the benefits most businesses will immediately realize are as follows:

• Decreased system impact – Virtualizing applications removes the application’s files and associated data off the workstation and onto the server, reducing storage and processing power needs.
• No Conflicts- With application virtualization, a computer can run multiple versions of the same application at the same time without any problems.  This allows users to access multiple versions of applications without having to switch back and forth from computer to computer.  For example, perhaps your company purchased a custom application that was designed for use on the Windows XP OS, but you really want the security and features of Win7 for everyday use.  Instead of setting aside a workstation with the older OS that can run the legacy program, you can virtualize the application and make it accessible from all networked computers.
• Extended application lifespan- By upgrading operating systems at the server level, you can still access customized, legacy programs that aren’t supported by newer operating systems.
• Extended hardware lifespan- By virtualizing newer applications that require more RAM, memory space, or processor power, you can extend the functional life of older desktop.
• Rapid Deployment- Making a virtualized program available to users on networked computers is as easy as putting shortcuts on the computer desktops.
• Efficient updates- When applications are virtualized, all system patches and updates are done once, on the virtualized application, at the server level.  This time saving step guarantees that all computers can be quickly patched and updated.

Possible disadvantages

While application virtualization has many advantages, there are some possible disadvantages that should be considered.

• Server dependency- Application virtualization requires at least one host server; this means that you have to commit funds to purchasing virtualization software that must be installed on the server before you can virtualize any applications.
• Peripheral devices- Applications that interact with local scanners and network equipment may not function properly.
• Device Interaction- Any software that requires the use of a security key, smart card, or attached storage device cannot be virtualized because USB drives don’t work with virtualization software.
• Security software- Workstations that retain operating systems must have anti-virus programs and local firewalls installed manually.
• Multimedia- Virtual applications that require multimedia hardware won’t operate.

Learn more

To learn more about how application virtualization can fit into your existing IT plan, please contact the IT consulting and virtualization experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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The average business has desktop computers that never utilize all of their processing power and storage.  Most desktops also have more features than the average user will ever need.  Instead of spending money purchasing, maintaining and upgrading underused, expensive desktop computers, consider desktop virtualization.

What it is

Desktop virtualization moves workstation processing power and storage to a server.  Users can easily access the “virtual desktop” through inexpensive thin clients or a through a desktop client application which can be installed on existing workstations.

How it’s done

Virtualizing a desktop consists of removing the operating system from a traditional workstation and relocating a virtual copy of it on a host server.  Users can then access the virtualized workstation—all of the programs, applications and data—through a remote desktop client application from workstations, laptops, Smartphones or thin client terminals.

Advantages

• Once a virtual desktop image has been created, it is easy to create and update other virtual desktops in minutes.
• Extend the lifecycle of older workstations—underpowered, older computers can run new applications by using the server’s higher processing power.
• Desktop virtualization gives users secure remote access anywhere they have a computer and an internet connection.
• Multiple virtual desktops can run on the physical workstation at the same.  This allows users to “toggle” back and forth from different operating systems and different applications.

Possible disadvantages

• Centralization means less customization for end users
• Peripherals on older devices may be difficult to support
• Multimedia applications can be impacted since virtualization solutions don’t virtualize video card processors.
• If the host server fails, users cannot access their virtual desktops.

Learn more

By virtualizing your business’s desktop computers, your company can save time and money since the lifespan of workstations can be extended and system maintenance takes less time.  To learn more about how desktop virtualization can benefit your business, contact the virtualization experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

Virtual Server environments are different from physical server environments.  In a physical server environment, your business would need multiple servers to run the different applications and perform critical business services that your company needs.  In a virtual environment, a single physical host server can hold many virtual servers, which would run the applications and and critical business services that would normally be installed on multiple physical servers.

The Benefits

Server virtualization offers significant features for most businesses.  Top reasons to consider upgrading your physical server environment to a virtual server environment include the following:

• Decrease your company’s electricity bill and carbon footprint.
• Curtail server sprawl and use your square footage to operate your business.
• Save money by purchasing less hardware.
• Increase your IT environment security by managing server updates and patches from one central location.
• Improve overall server performance through dynamic allocation of RAM and processor power.

The most popular programs

Many companies make virtualization software that will run on a host server.  All will perform the same primary functions of administering multiple virtual servers but each one has some unique features that might make one program more suited for your businesses particular needs.

• Microsoft Hyper-V is designed to integrate with the Microsoft Windows platform, making it easy to administer and manage virtualized Windows Servers and Microsoft applications.
• VMWare can run almost any operating system as a virtual server, making it optimal for any company that has blended technology platforms such as Linux, Macintosh, and Windows.  It is also a great program if your company depends on older legacy systems that are installed on hardware that is nearing the end of its lifespan.
• Citrix Xen Server is a low-cost alternative to the other solutions, with many add-ons and features that are free.  Xen server is optimal for Linux and Windows environments and is often used as the foundation for many application virtualization solutions.

Things to consider

While server virtualization is a great choice for many businesses, it is not suitable for all business IT environments.  Server virtualization might not be the best solution for businesses whose servers have the following needs:

• high processor power requirements (SQL or specialized servers)
• encrypted drives or partitions to support legal or regulatory requirements
• proxy server or web-gateway applications

To learn more

Server virtualization has many benefits that can help your business in many ways.  To learn more about how server virtualization can help your business’s IT environment, talk to the virtualization experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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Microsoft finally listened to Windows end-users when they complained about the lack of backup applications available in previous operating systems.  Microsoft engineers gritted their collective teeth (they had included backup programs in many of their previous operating systems), acknowledged that the backup apps could be difficult to use, and then created several user-friendly backup options that are all conveniently located in the new Windows 7 (Win7) Backup and Restore Center (BRC).

The BRC is a centralized location that makes it easy to set up and manage how backups are made as well as simplifying the restoration process.  The BRC is built around the functions of previous backup and restoration apps, but offers a more intuitive interface and many features that allow end-user customization.

Backup

All end-users should back up all their data, all the time. In the past, many people chose not to do so because it was too difficult to make backups and too expensive to pay someone to administer and store them offsite.  Now, with Win7, there is no excuse since the backup app is included as part of the operating system and can be done onsite.  Top features include:

• Backup destination- End-users choose where backups will be made and stored:  CD, external USB drive, or another location on the network.
• Backup preferences- End-users can choose which specific files to backup or let Win7 make that decision—generally, it will back up all files, user settings, app and window settings as well as create an entire image of the Windows system.
• Back up frequency- End-users choose how often t to back up the system—daily, weekly or monthly backups can be scheduled to occur at convenient times.

Restore

With the Win7 restore app, it is easy to restore a lost or corrupted file.  This can be done quickly from the BRC by clicking the “Restore my files” button and then choosing the version of the backup file to restore.

BRC Window Interface

The BRC popup window makes it easy to check the status of backup and restore settings.  From this window, end-users can find out where backups are being stored, how much free space is available for future backups, when the last backups were made, and other useful information.

Learn More

The intelligent design and intuitive ease of accessing and using the Backup and Restore Center give end-users the ability to make their own choices about backing up and restoring their data.  To learn more about the Backup and Restore Center, or to learn more about the new Windows 7 operating system, please call the Microsoft Gold Certified Partners at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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Is your business lagging behind with the social media phenomenon? If it is, your business could be losing some great new opportunities that could catapult its bottom line to greater heights. Whether big or small, any business is striving to stay on top, especially those in a cutthroat industry, such as software development and other IT-based companies.

To get a much bigger piece of the action, businesses implement every tried and tested strategy they can to pull in customers. Conventional marketing strategies include print and broadcast ads, networking, trade fairs and the occasional distribution of promotional discounts. These tactics, while highly effective, can take a toll on businesses’ annual budgets. In a very competitive environment, running costly promotions could prove detrimental in the long run as more and more people are turning almost exclusively to the Internet for information.

Hence, with the advent of the Internet, a new marketing channel was born. And as the Internet matured, social networking sites proliferated, pulling in hundreds of millions of members, connecting and interacting instantaneously in ways that seemed impossible a mere 15 years ago. Now that social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have collectively covered almost every demographic, small business marketing has been given an enormous opportunity to target large samples of specific consumer segments. Companies with products designed specifically for businesses, such as IT companies, can now directly promote their merchandise to a group of CEOs within their target market, such as the way LinkedIn’s advertising campaign works.

Perhaps the most important aspect of social media marketing that makes it so relevant and powerful is its inherent capability of engaging consumers. With Social Influence Marketing, an important aspect of social media marketing that utilizes social media in all aspects of a marketing campaign, a business is able to involve targeted customers in conceptualizing, developing and implementing ideas towards its realization into becoming an actual product or service. That is why in some instances, social media marketing is also called Conversation Marketing. It involves the entire market in driving a business, as opposed to traditional marketing where only the companies influence the movement of the market, leaving the consumers as passive receivers of marketing messages.

In social media marketing, the success of each business that utilizes this strategy rests not only on how it conveys its message to the consumers, but also on how it ‘listens’ to the conversation within the market. With social media marketing, the focus has now been taken away from businesses, and is now directed to the market itself.

Even big businesses are now warming up to the idea of joining in on the conversations within the online social space. Companies, such as in the case of Dell, has greatly benefited from the conversation that went on within the social media space through its Twitter page. Through social media, Dell was able to effectively engage its target consumers, create awareness on how their products fared and increased sales and customer retention.

There are more beneficial business applications that can be applied to social media other than engaging consumers and improving the company’s bottom line. Employers have also utilized social media to track down, screen and employ highly qualified workers. Hiring a hugely qualified staff is both a tedious and costly undertaking. Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in executive search fees just to get the right candidate for the right job. LinkedIn, sometimes touted as the Facebook for professionals, offers a great opportunity for employers to gainfully employ the right candidate, even without the help of third-party recruiters. With LinkedIn’s more than 45 million members and innovative search capabilities, hand-picking the suitable candidate for the job has never been easier.

Whether looking to cut costs on marketing, or searching for the right candidate for the job without incurring huge costs, taking a close look at how your business could benefit from social media marketing could be worth your while. You can find All Covered on Twitter. To learn more about IT strategy and how All Covered can help you business go to All Covered or call 866-446-1133.

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Microsoft has made great efforts to help ease the growing pains of migrating Windows XP and Windows Vista to the new and improved, feature rich, user-friendly Windows 7.  The creators of the latest Windows OS have designed several useful tools and an installation method that will help users make a smooth and seamless transition from an older Windows OS to Windows 7.

By using one or more of the migration aids, Microsoft hopes that all users will experience an uneventful transition from an older OS to Windows 7.

Four installation aids are available to help IT staff upgrade machines that are currently running XP or Vista.  These tools will help preserve all existing user data during the upgrade process while keeping customized settings intact.

1.    Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) – is a downloadable set of tools that will help IT administrators create a customized set of installation preferences that can be applied to every computer in the network from one location.

•    Customizing an AIK allows for “one-touch” installation where all of the configurations are pre-set and the IT administrator only has to click the “GO” button once to install the entire Windows 7 OS on the entire IT network.

•     All Microsoft workstation and many third party applications may be bundled into an AIK and upgraded at the same time that Windows 7 is deployed.

2.    User State Migration Tool (USMT) – is a utility that comes prepackaged with Windows 7.  This tool works with the downloadable AIK tool during the OS installation process to transfer custom user settings and files from a specific Windows XP or Vista machine to the upgraded Windows 7 OS on the same machine.

•    This new tool will keep files and settings protected on the workstation during the upgrading process and will save time since data won’t have to be transferred to a portable drive during upgrade and then later reinstalled.

•    Updates typically take less than 30 minutes.

3.    Windows Easy Transfer – is another prepackaged utility that comes with Windows 7.  It works with Windows XP and Vista machines to relocate user data from one machine to another.

•    This tool is ideal when migrating a small number of machines.

•    With Windows Easy Transfer, files and settings can be transferred using a network, a USB drive, or other external storage.

4.    In Place Upgrade – in addition to the above tools, for Vista OS users, Microsoft also offers an installation method that that will automatically preserve all user applications and data during upgrade.

Whether your IT network is currently running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or a combination of both, Microsoft has made great efforts to make upgrading to Windows 7 as easy as possible.  To learn more about which migration aid will best suit your company’s unique IT network needs, please talk to the migration experts at All Covered by calling 866-446-1133.

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The Windows 7 OS provides many new tools and features that focus on improved productivity through improved usability.  This new OS has been constructed to be more intuitive and less distracting (no more annoying and unnecessary pop-ups notifying the user that there is a notification for the user).  Users that upgrade to Windows 7 will benefit from increased productivity while enjoying the following resources:

Decreased boot time- the average windows 7 machine will boot will boot up in under 60 seconds.  With the decreased boot time, users will no longer have time to run across the street for a mocha while their system starts up.  Instead, users can get to work as soon as they sit down.

Compatibility- The flexibility of Windows 7 gives users the ability to run almost any software that is Windows compatible.  Windows 7 will work with more accessories and programs than its predecessors, Windows Vista and Windows XP.  Microsoft has designed this OS to automatically run any program that was designed for Vista, and it will also be able to run most XP applications in an XP compatibility window.

Libraries- Windows 7 provides a new, more intuitive way of organizing and locating documents.  Instead of wasting time trying to remember where a previously created document is stored, a user can now search for their documents by type in different “libraries” such as communications, contacts, documents, downloads, music, pictures and videos.  Not only will a user see a shortcut for the document they need, they will also gain immediate access to specific data that is pertinent for each type of library.  For example: when the “contacts” library is opened, it will show phone numbers and e-mail addresses and when the “downloads” library is opened, it will list the URL source for each download. The libraries are customizable, allowing users to create personalized folders that will keep project documents and files accessible.

Jump Lists- This updated menu is a timesaving tool that allows a user to preview open applications and folders.  When the mouse is moved over the taskbar, a popup menu appears and lists all open windows.  Right clicking will provide a brief history of recent changes and other useful information.

Windows Search- This enhanced search feature resembles the “auto-complete” function that is a familiar tool in Microsoft Word.  The moment a user starts to type a word in the search field, Windows 7 will list items that match the typed characters.  The list will decrease as characters are added.  At any point, a user can preview the search results—without having to open the document.

The Benefits

Improved performance

• System boot time and application launch times have noticeably decreased.
• A reduction in the time required to place systems into and retrieve them out of hibernation mode makes “putting your system to sleep” more convenient.
• New optimization tools decrease battery usage, allowing portable computer users more “cord-free” time than was possible with Vista and XP.

Enhanced searching capabilities

• New options allow you to look for keywords in documents, emails, attached storage devices, and can also extend the search to networked servers and designated web pages.

Location aware printing

• When you connect to a network, Windows 7 will automatically detect your location and select the proper printers for your print jobs.

Virtual hard disk support

• Windows 7 can be virtualized, allowing multiple operating systems to reside on a single host machine.
• Windows 7 is preconfigured to support Hyper-V virtual machines.

Expanded security

• BitLocker-to-Go brings the encryption powers of BitLocker to portable storage devices such as USB drives and external storage devices.
• Preinstalled drivers let your Windows 7 machine “read” most biometric devices.
• App-Blocker lets IT administrators easily control the applications individual users can access.
• Windows Access Center replaces Vista’s Security Center.  The Access Center provides security alerts and gives you the tools to take care of problems and system maintenance in one convenient location.
• Geo-tracking will broadcast the position of your computer to location-aware applications such as mapping programs.

Simple device management

• Device Stage is a plug-and-play app that will recognize portable devices when connected to a computer, and then provide you with only the relevant menus and options needed to manage the device.

New remote access methods

• BranchCache provides branch-office users quicker access to files stored on central file servers in the main office.
• Direct Access gives mobile users remote access to resources without requiring the use of a VPN.

Troubleshooting tool

Problem Steps Recorder (PSR) provides a recording app—when an error repeatedly occurs after executing a particular sequence of steps, you can use the PSR to log the seque

To learn more about the benefits of upgrading your OS to Windows 7, please contact the Microsoft experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.