Category: IT Support & General Technology Articles

‘Talent’ is the operative term when a company is looking for people to fill a specific role or roles, and this is very apparent in the field of information technology. The IT knowledge worker is recognized for what he or she knows, and for the value that is brought to the proverbial table thanks to that knowledge.

Yet, this also brings up cases of knowledge simply not being enough. Technology and the systems being used by companies large and small are varied, extensive in scope, and have proven to be rapidly changing. Within a few years, the systems one is knowledgeable in may be outdated and no longer useful. New advances in software and hardware development require companies and the information technology specialists that they take on with them to be up to the task to keep abreast with the newest updates.

There is a very special kind of person that is suited to be an IT specialist. These people are not easy to find, and they are also not your average in-house networking engineer. For one, most in-house IT covers a narrow scope in terms of the IT services that they can provide. When most corporations take on technicians to help maintain their computer systems, they are not always knowledgeable in all fields and systems that are in use today.

For example, an in-house IT engineer for a small company that specializes in auto hardware supply may be knowledgeable in managing an office network. His scope may begin with local area system administration and can include computer hardware maintenance. Over time, as a company grows, the demands change too: Database server operations, advanced networking hardware, and newer, more sophisticated software applications to run this hardware may be beyond the scope of what the original IT expert was initially brought in to do. A company may then choose to expand the IT department, and in turn, widen its range of ‘Swiss army knife-like’ skills available. This does, however, create unwanted strain on a firm’s budget and payroll, among other expenses.

This leads to the next idea: Outsourcing talent. There are a plethora of reasonably priced yet eminently experienced companies that provide outsourced IT consultation and services. These are often managed by a small team of workers, and they provide the aid that may be needed to get the job done.

Yet, these firms are not enough sometimes. A small outsource team can be quickly overwhelmed if all its clients require its aid right away. Larger firms cannot find their aid reliable at times, as they often are restricted to a small geographic area where they are based. They also often share the same shortcomings of in-house IT help: limited knowledge that may be outdated.

A big reason why the effectiveness of certain approaches in IT specialization is simply in its own definition: specialization. Too often, IT people have narrowly defined areas of expertise. It is due in large part to the limited scope of exposure that these same IT experts are able to receive. If in-house technicians and small tech outsourcing firms have something in common, it’s how little of the vast developments of IT they have been able to handle, let alone be expert consultants for.

Perhaps one of the best steps to take in finding specialists is to look at reliable expert outsourced help that doesn’t just provide aid at affordable rates. They also ought to be the team that has been able to tackle such a broad set of situations that it gives them credibility to be the best consultants that money can hire, and this experience translates to better, more extensive knowledge to apply. These firms take a strategic approach to solving tech issues, and get the tasks complete with minimal fuss and lost time, resulting in a better cost-benefit balance.

All Covered is one of the most respected IT consulting firms in the country. Learn how they can help at AllCovered.com or call 866-446-1133.

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Exchange Server 2010 is Microsoft’s newest version of mail server for business of all sizes.  The 2010 release date coincides with the end of life support cycle for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, which makes it easy for current Exchange Server 2003 users to upgrade to a familiar product while continuing to have application support they expect from Microsoft.  Exchange Server 2010 will offer many of the features of Exchange Server 2003, but will also offer several new end user and administrative features.

Things to know

• Exchange 2010 must be installed on hardware that uses a 64-bit processor and needs to be run in conjunction with Server2008.
• Exchange Server 2010 has been optimized for use with Microsoft email client applications Outlook and Outlook Express but is also compatible with other applications.

Key features

• Email- Exchange Server 2010 collects all incoming email in a central database where it can be distributed to users through Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express or other another email application such as Eudora.  Exchange Server 2010 is customizable, allowing businesses to manage how email is sent, received, stored and protected.
• Calendar- In conjunction with a program like Outlook—which gives every user a personal calendar to keep track of appointments, activities and tasks—Exchange Server 2010 lets users easily share calendars, send appointment invitations to each other, book conference rooms and check out company resources such as projectors and laptops.
• Contacts- Exchange Server 2010 comes with a global address book that can be easily set up to contain contact information about every employee in a company.  In addition, once users have used Outlook or Outlook Express to create, store and organize contact information in email address books, Exchange Server 2010 lets them easily share that information with each other.
• Outlook Web Access- Outlook Web Access has a user interface that is almost identical to Microsoft Outlook. With Office Outlook Web Access, users can use a Web browser to access Microsoft Exchange Server mailbox from any computer with an Internet connection. Outlook Web Access works with Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and 8, Firefox 3, Safari 3 and many other internet browsers.
• Mobile Content- Through Outlook Web Access or a mail client installed on a mobile device, Exchange Server 2010 makes it easy to send and receive emails from smart phones, blackberries and iPhones.  For added network security, administrators have control over which users can access which systems on their mobile devices.
• Unified Messaging- Exchange 2010 can integrate with several phone systems, allowing users to receive voice mail, e-mail and faxes in their mailboxes.

To learn more

To learn more about Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 please contact the outsourcing IT consulting experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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With the rapid rise of modern technology comes the onslaught of new modes of communication. Nowadays we can have our pick from a plethora of tools and services that allow us to converse with our personal and business contacts. Our computers alone, along with a working Internet connection or internal network, provide several communication points. It has become the norm to have at least one e-mail account and an instant messenger for chats. Online forums, and recently Google Wave are being used as organization tools. For small to medium businesses, innovations in IT and communications technology has allowed for the birth of a new species of employee – the telecommuter.

Weeding Out the Cons of Working Out of the Office

A telecommuter is basically the fancy term for a home-based worker, or any hired person who works outside of the office. These remote workers can be either freelancers or full-time employees. Many small to medium based businesses employ telecommuters because they are a cost effective source of manpower. Also, since they do not work in-house, the work area does not end up too crowded or cluttered. The downside of telecommuting is that the company cannot personally supervise their home-based workers. There is always the risk of miscommunication. Telecommuters also usually tend to be behind on recent updates and announcements. However, there are human resource practice-based ways to go beyond these issues and make the most out of telecommuting.

Connecting remote locations weeds out the cons of working out of the office. Companies can communicate and collaborate with their telecommuters much more efficiently with the help of remote IT tools that allow users to access the headquarters’ main network from anywhere with an Internet connection.

Tools of the Trade

Companies can connect remote users and remote locations via the World Wide Web using DSL, T-1, frame relay or other solutions. With the help of a team of competent and extensively experienced IT professionals, a small to medium-sized business firm can set up a secure remote network that can act as the portal for telecommuters to keep up to date with what is going on inside the company. The portal can take the form of a remote e-mail server or a Web-based desktop. IT solutions such as Terminal Services, Citrix and thin clients allows companies can give their remote workers access to the same services as if they were in the office such as file servers and even printers.

Not Just for Telecommuters

Establishing a remote network does not only make for more efficient communication and collaboration with the company telecommuters; it can benefit in-house workers as well. The network can be configured to be accessed by all workers involved, so that even those who are based in the office can go to their file server should they need to check on something work-related at home.

IT solutions such as LogMeIn, GoToMyPC and Microsoft RDP allow workers with separate computers at home and at the office to share files and other data between the two systems. That way, there will be no confusion over which computer has an updated version of a file.

Dealing with Security Issues

Connecting remote users and remote locations can greatly increase the efficiency of business operations. However, security breaches are not out of the question. Remote networks, much like any other IT network, are prone to bugs and other malicious applications. All Covered is one IT solutions provider that not only helps in establishing the company’s remote networks, but also offers full-time, 24-hour support for its clients. IT consulting advisors pinpoint and fix issues before they blow up and disrupt the system. Remote networks become less susceptible to security breaches. Companies are rest assured that only authorized people can gain reliably secure access to the network.

For more help with your IT network and wireless solutions contact the IT consulting experts at 866-446-1133.

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Software as a service (SaaS) is an on-demand solution that provides businesses an affordable way to use a software application without having to purchase it.  This is done by leasing the program from a provider and either accessing it through the internet or accessing it after you’ve installed it locally.  As an IT business solution, SaaS has become an increasingly popular choice since companies only rent the software, rather than committing to the purchase price of the application and user licensing.

Many popular applications are available as SaaS.  Several well-known and free SaaS solutions are Hotmail, Google Docs and Yahoo Instant Messenger.  Business-centric, on-demand solutions that include services such as payroll applications, CRM solutions, business-class email, online storage and more are also becoming increasingly popular.

Latest and greatest

Microsoft has recently entered the SaaS arena with their Windows Azure Platform.  Currently offering a limited suite of SaaS solutions, Microsoft will eventually offer all of their applications as SaaS, while still offering all applications as local solutions.

Google has also joined the SaaS movement and is offering Google Apps Premier Edition.  Unlike previous Google applications that were free and intended for individual consumers, the Premier Edition has business solutions that will offer a complete suite of business applications.

Key benefits

Regardless of what type of business you own, you will realize several benefits if you choose a SaaS solution.  Benefits include the following:

• Affordable- With SaaS, you won’t have a large up-front capital expense as you would if you chose to purchase the software.  A reasonable monthly fee is all you will pay to have the latest version of your favorite software. You won’t need to spend money purchasing and installing software.  You won’t have to worry about the cost of upgrading it, either.  Your SaaS provider will take care of it so you don’t have to.
• Flexible- Because SaaS is offered as an on-demand service, you can adjust your contract to fit your staffing needs.
• Stable- The SaaS applications are installed on more powerful, secure, and redundant hardware infrastructure than you could afford to own.
• Quick deployment- Because most SaaS solutions are web-based, deployment is instantaneous, giving you immediate access to the business solutions you need.
• Accessible- Regardless of where you do business, you will always have access to your SaaS applications as long as you have access to the internet.
• Compatible- Most SaaS applications are compatible with most systems and smart phones.

Learn more

To learn more about SaaS and how it might fit into your business plan, please call the IT consulting experts at All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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Ecologists and conservationists have been telling people since the 1970s that the rise in computer use will usher in a ‘paperless’ age. This was aptly described in the June 30, 1975 edition of BusinessWeek, in a piece called “The Office of the Future.” In it, the author describes how all the vital information kept in office filing cabinets, accounting logbooks and circulated memos can be put away in tiny microchips. These will be linked to one another for easy remote access, so all information need not be handled through hard copy.

Why is this significant? With the use of paper reduced, the change in the costs of its use and disposal both present interesting effects. From an environmental standpoint, this can create a massive impact on the rate at which trees are harvested for paper. The average U.S. office worker generates two pounds of paper waste daily, with some 10,000 sheets of printing and copying used in a year. This tremendous volume translates into waste, and also causes increased harvesting of forests for paper pulp.

Given the volume of paper used, it also follows that reduction of wasted paper is a sign of increased efficiency. It also does away with the need for storage space. Hospitals, government offices and corporations are prime examples of places where records involve much paper use. The cost of time, energy and money that go into maintaining these sheets of information are significant. The waste generated by these is also noteworthy, and the repercussions can be far-reaching without efforts toward the development of more efficient systems, which today’s technology can provide

This dream, after a little over twenty years down the road, is still a dream. People still consume copious amounts of paper in order to maintain hard copies of important documents. Legal procedures still require physical paperwork to be sent. People still issue receipts in hard copy, and the same goes with invoices, annual reports and other types of correspondence.

Progress towards this “paperless world” is taking shape. If Apple’s newly unveiled iPad is any indication of a possible trend or attitude shift, written content may soon move from hard copy to mobile, portable hardware that lets people access this data easily. Remote access to digital information has begun to take the first steps towards practical, marketable applications, especially with the continuing rise of the Internet, cloud computing and other networking technologies.

The idea of such operations may be quite difficult to achieve for most corporations. Small businesses, should they choose to pursue this as an objective, are bound to find this to be even more so. The use of elaborate networking, and the effort it will take to convert files into digital soft-copy documentation, can demand much particularly from a small business. The opportunity cost for this can be a difficult point to balance –the choice between investing in more efficient systems or in maintaining a cheaper, but fairly outmoded status quo is a challenging one to say the least. However, the future-proofing and savings on paper material that this change can bring may be more than enough to counter the initial headaches.

As the task entails major work in both keeping to a tight budget and bringing smooth IT functions online for greater efficiency, professional assistance may be the answer. Expert IT consultants can identify key points where proper data implementation can be conducted. Firms such as All Covered can find avenues through which a company can evolve to be not only more efficient, but also more ecologically sound.

To learn more about how you can safely secure your company’s wireless network and how to make your IT run more efficiently, visit us at All Covered or call 866-446-1133.

Contact All Covered

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