Are you Ready to Throw the Notebook for a Netbook?

What’s the difference between a notebook and a Netbook?  Steve Jobs believes Netbooks are just cheap slow notebooks and everyone should but an iPad but perhaps they have a place in the modern business.

I would define a Netbook as a smaller laptop with longer battery life, an atom or similar low power consuming processor and typically do not have optical drives.

For the last 10 years companies have had to decide between larger expensive desktop replacement laptops or desktops or the expense of both for mobile employees.  Now for the price of a laptop you can often purchase a solid business class desktop and a Netbook.

Yes most Netbooks won’t break any processing records, but they will allow remote access to your office, work on word processing and other basic functions.  Netbooks also typically have longer battery life and with their smaller size they weigh less and are easy to just throw in a bag on the go.  One major objection or fear we get is the lack of CD/DVD drive.  First USB DVD drives are inexpensive if you can’t let go.  Secondly all Microsoft products on Open Licenses have to be downloaded anyway since Microsoft moved away from sending discs to it’s partners/  Even Windows comes with an easy program which can make you a USB boot disk that will install Windows 7 for you quickly and as easily as a DVD.  (Windows 7 USB Tool can be found here: http://store.microsoft.com/help/iso-tool ) Lastly any disc you have now can be quickly made into and mounted in a virtual DVD drive using a free ITP favorite MagicDisc found here: http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-magicdisc-history.htm

Looking for some reccomendations?  ITP staff favorite Netbooks are:

HP – HP Mini 210

Dell – Inspiron Mini 1018

Sony – Vaio X Series

Call us for a quote or help picking out a Netbook for your next trip for as low as $300.00.  Steve, they might be cheap but they work.

How Much Power Should the Internet Police Have – And Who Are the Internet Police?

Time to look at a sensitive, exponentially issue-inducing question: who should police the internet and how much policing should they, or anyone, be allowed to do? In this blog, we will be looking at the topic of domain name policing in particular.

We are constantly reminded of the anonymity and opportunity the internet affords its users. These freedoms are one of the founding principles of the internet: that it be an open canvas on which anything can be painted and anyone we want can view it. The internet was supposed to be a virtual land where the most typical, average person could stake a claim and make a small piece of it their own.

Like all newly-settled worlds, however, it cannot remain so forever. Various organizations have come about to monitor the internet and keep its users and their information safe. The Internet Corporation for the Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a non-profit in contract with the U.S. government, exists to manage internet addresses and oversee the addition of new domain suffixes. The most popular suffixes currently in use are .com, .net, and .org.

 A recent article on CNET.com once again brings to light the issue of domain name – and ultimately internet – governance. The United States government, among other governments both national and local, is looking to gain more power to allow or deny domain names. This has been a battle that has been raging in the internet background for as long as it has existed, and is a topic filled with shades of gray. For the past seven years, the domain suffix .xxx has been contested over by three camps: those who wish to use it, those who wish that it not be used at all, and those who wish not to be forced to use it.

Many adult content webmasters want to have the suffix .xxx be as useable as .com or .org, to give them their own space on the internet and make them easier to find. Currently .xxx is not a functioning domain. The United States government and many conservative organizations do not want the .xxx domain to exist, seeing it as comparable to allowing an adult video store on the same block as the white house.  On another end of the argument are those who see this new domain as a way to keep all of these adult content websites in one centralized location, so no one can accidentally stumble upon them or so they can be blocked more easily. Some adult content webmasters, and some webmasters who have sex education information on their websites, or others whose main purpose is not adult content but some exists on their site, do not want to be forced to join this new domain.

 Over 115 new domain name proposals are expected this year, and some raise controversies, such as the .gay domain. Whose responsibility – or right – is it to say whether or not the .gay or .freetibet domains can be used? If the former were used, it may upset millions of conservatives. If the latter were used, it may upset a government with rule over billions of people. Yet what about the people who want to use those names? What about their rights? They aren’t breaking any laws.

The debate over domain name allowance is explosive because it induces issues about freedom of speech and how much of a role governments should be able to play in the direction and access of the internet. Another example of governmental power over the internet is seen recently in Egypt, where the government shut down the internet in the entire country in an attempt to control its people. Is it right for a government to control something that belongs to no one, and yet belongs to everyone?

How to Switch from WordPerfect to Word

Though WordPerfect isn’t prevalent within most industries, it is still relatively common within the legal community.  Many of these firms would like to switch to Word, but don’t want to eat the software, lost productivity, and training costs.  Very understandable.  But the reasons for moving to Word are growing by the day.  As such (and since ITP works with so many law firms) I thought it might be valuable to post a recipe for switching from WordPerfect to Word that many firms have found successful…

Recommended Process

Though every firm is different, ITP recommends the following general process for moving from WordPerfect to Word.  The transition is rarely seamless due to the inherent differences between the two programs, but following the process below can be instrumental in minimizing downtime and lost productivity.

1. Assemble a project team or lead person that will manage the transition.
2. Identify your key documents – Forms, templates, and other routinely-accessed documents are critical to your firm’s productivity.  Ensuring they are available and functional immediately following the move to Word is key to keeping production high and limiting user frustration.
3. Identify other document automation tools – besides forms and templates, macros, other software, and user-defined tools such as keyboard shortcuts and mail merges are also important to identify.
4. Review options – There are always new software and tools that hit the market every year. Review your document automation options and decide upon the best tool (or mix of tools) for your firm.
5. Planning & communication – develop a plan and timeline and then communicate that to your staff.
6. Convert documents – Convert your forms and templates into Word format and test.
7. Develop your training schedule – review your needs and the capabilities of your staff, and then develop a training plan specific to your needs.
8. Purchase quick reference guides – No matter how much you invest in training, your staff won’t be able to retain all of it when they begin using Word.  Quick reference guides can be a great tool for keeping productivity high and reducing user frustration.
9. Training – Unless your staff is particularly familiar with Word, investing in at least two training sessions for each staff member (1 basic & 1 intermediate session) is recommended.  Training sessions should be kept to 90 minutes or less in duration.  Hands-on training is best for retention, but classroom-style training is often used because it is far less expensive and far less disruptive to operations.
10. Walk-around Support – Schedule some time for supporting staff members with their specific problems.  This can be scheduled as onsite or remote service.
11. Remove WordPerfect from your systems – This step isn’t always necessary, and often WordPerfect can only be removed after some time has passed, but in most cases if staff members have access to WordPerfect, they will continue to use it.

iPad vs. Netbook

If you have watched TV or talked to a human in 2010 you know the general buzz and “coolness” factor of the iPad.  The question I have been getting more lately is to compare the iPad with a Netbook.  Some might say its not a fair comparison but from a business standpoint both have around a $500 price point at their lowest and both aim to provide fast access to your data with long battery life.

So lets compare:

As you can see there is no clear “Winner” the answer to which device is best for your business depends on the specific needs of your users and applications.  If the instant On and battery life of the iPad is a requirement for walking around and meeting patients than the iPad is your winner.  If you need Windows to run that mobile application or Internet Explorer for that one key web application than you need a Windows Netbook.

Don’t forget about the Linux netbook as an option.  Linux offers better battery life and performance for basic web usage. You can still Remote Desktop to your windows machines or use Logmein if you need Windows without the worry of Windows Update or Antivirus holding your ATOM processor down.  My favorite is by a long time Linux company System 76 (http://bit.ly/hZHXi1).  If you haven’t tried Linux in a while take a look again at how far Ubuntu has come in the consumer market.

Windows, Linux or Apple give us a call to find out which is right for your business and your application challenges.

Product Spotlight – Microsoft Lync 2010

There is little better example of integrated communications software than Microsoft Lync 2010. Microsoft Lync 2010  is a communication and conferencing suite that includes an impressive array of communication tools including, video conferencing, VOIP telecommunications functionality, document management and collaboration software, instant messaging capabilities, application & desktop sharing functionality and more.  All of which can be used in countless ways to streamline communications throughout an organization and, of course, to improve communications to customers. At its core, however, this functionality is really just a combination of existing Microsoft products brought together to create a comprehensive suite of communication tools including Exchange  (e-mail & calendaring), SharePoint  (document management & collaboration), Office Communicator  (instant messaging), and Office Live Meeting  (web & video conferencing) .

Deployment

Microsoft Lync can be deployed in one of 3 ways: onsite, Microsoft-hosted, or hosted by a 3^rd party (datacenter).

The onsite deployment requires a server (physical or virtual) and appropriate client deployment software (depending on what functionality you’re deploying).

Deploying the Microsoft-hosted solution is even easier because the infrastructure is already established and data simply needs to be migrated to the “cloud.”

Deploying to a datacenter may be the most complicated because it is similar to the onsite deployment, but since an offsite, 3^rd party is involved, some additional complexity is included.  

Pricing & Licensing

Pricing for each option can be found here

Want tons of other useful information?  Click here

Net Neutrality 101

So you have heard about Net Neutrality and don’t know enough to have an intelligent discussion about the issue.  First a few resources on the subject: (Note this is a political issue and a technical one so read both sides of everything)

http://www.savetheinternet.com/

http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/search/label/Net%20Neutrality

Net Neutraility represents the issue of the internet, or our access to the internet which not matter who your provider is will eventually rely on one or more of a small group of major wire runners in the U.S. folks like AT&T and Verizon.  There is currently no regulation on the internet.  This is in some ways by design, there is no regulation, no tax etc. to allow the internet to bolster the U.S. economy and allow the free market to run free.  The other side of the lack of regulation coin is that in theory, though never done, AT&T and Verizon could one day decide to give preference to certain traffic for compensation.  They could allow traffic to and from say the New York times go through faster than the traffic to this blog.  Some argue that its Verizon’s right to do so given the costs they have experienced laying copper and fiber throughout the U.S. Others see this as an opportunity for great abuse and perhaps a real challenge to small businesses.  Would facebook gotten off the ground if they could have only support 100 users because they couldn’t PAY for enough speed to be allowed to their site?

The second link about is to the proposers of the most current legislation, no not your senator, but Google.  Google, a private company with Verizon are trying to pass a moderate version of a bill in order to get some protection on the books now.  Note that this proposals balance point is that it curiously makes an argument that wireless net neutrality should not exist.  Perhaps they are biased since they are buddies with Verizon, perhaps not.

What is important is that Net Neutrality could drastically alter our daily internet experience.  The great power of the internet comes from the ability for everyone to have a voice on the same playing field.  Its up to us and our government to help find the balance on this issue before an offer to an ISP gets too big to say no to.

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Web Browsers – What’s Your Choice

I’ve been noticing some amongst my clients about the web browser they’re using.  Long established as the predominant browser in the market, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) is experiencing more competition than ever these days.  As a long time fan of Internet Explorer I recently switched due to some frustrations with performance – specifically with the newest iteration, IE 8.  Mostly my problems revolved around the way IE 8 presented text (often so small that it was unreadable) and errors experienced with certain java functions certain sites required.  This isn’t to say that other browsers don’t have problems – quite the opposite, actually – but I found I didn’t mind the problems other browsers had as much.  Anyhow, the three most popular browsers today (in my opinion) are IE, Google’s Chrome, and, Mozilla’s Firefox.  I’ve decided Google Chrome works best for me.  So what do you think?  What browser to you use and why?

Lexis Webinar on Mobility a Success

Thanks to all over 600 of you who joined us on the mobility webinar.  If you would like more information a consultation, training or turnkey server solution to support your mobile goals feel free to contact us (1.877.539.7274).  We also have the Whitepaper available in advance right here:  Mobile Devices Whitepaper.  Excerpt below:

The Rise in Mobile Devices

The rise of mobile devices has been exponential over the past 5 years.  There are many reasons for this, but the most prevalent is that they allow people to communicate faster and more effectively than ever before.  The ability to have access to e-mail, contacts, calendar, and other data has made them an extremely valuable tool for today’s legal professional.  Hence the rise of the mobile device as today’s “always-on” business tool.   Yet, there are downsides to all technologies and mobile devices are not without their share.  Beginning with the multitude of devices available today to the changing landscape services, features, and functions available on each device, finding a the right device can be a challenge.  Additionally, matching a device to your personal needs, technical requirements of your network, and your practice management tool can be next to impossible without assistance from an IT professional.  Often finding the right device is a matter of breaking down the different features it provides.

Contact Joe Ulm at Information Technology Professionals today to setup a consultation on your next mobile office deployment or about ITP’s mobile device network review and training packages.  Paul Hager and other ITP engineers are available to travel to your organization and provide a complete training and setup packages for your mobile workforce.  1.877.539.7274

Online backup – An Abbreviated Overview

I’ve gotten quite a few questions lately on the value/pros/cons of online backup.  So here’s just a quick overview of the world of online backup…

Online backup technology, when deployed correctly, is well established, both in terms of reliability and security.  It is traditionally sold through VARs (like us) or directly through online backup companies themselves.   In our case, we resell an established online providers service, but I know some VARs have developed their own online backup service.  Things to look for in an online provider are:

• Encrypted communications
• Multiple, geographically-separated backup locations
• Data backed up to SAS 70 compliant data centers (there are different tiers)
• Agent-less client (meaning you can install it on your server and backup a workstation/laptop without installing the software on that device, as well)
• Type of backup (full, incremental, or differential)
• Ability to backup application data (Exchange, SQL, etc.) and how “granular” the backup is.  For example, can you restore just one e-mail or is your only option restoring all your e-mail?
• Good user interface
• Number of “generations” backed up (how far back can you restore from?  One day, ten days? More?)

Additionally, pricing tends to be all over the place with online providers mostly because they often price out “storage” differently.  The two most common pricing models are:

Protected – this means you will get X amount of data backed up with the ability to restore from X days back.  In this pricing model you purchase 10 GB of space at say, $5 per GB per month and can go back 30 generations.  It costs you $50 per month, but in essence you’re getting 300 TOTAL GBs of backup space (10 GB X 30 generations).

Unprotected – this is just straight data storage.  Often vendors using this pricing model will give you a “block” of backup space to use as you see fit (100 GB, 200 GB, or more).  This model will be far less expensive than the protected pricing model, but each generation of backup will count against your total space.  So if you’re backing up 10 GB of data and you purchase a 100 GB block of space, you’ll get 10 generations from it.

A couple important additional pricing considerations:

• All pricing should be based on the compressed data size.
• Very rough estimates for pricing would be $2 per GB for unprotected and $5 per GB for protected.
• Backup software should be included at no additional cost

Our recommendations when it comes to backup:

1. Do a combination of online and onsite backup.  Often you can do one or the other “inexpensively” because you’re fully invested in a quality solution for the other.  An example of this would be to back everything up online and then just use inexpensive portable drives or a cheap attached storage unit for onsite backup.
2. Archive.  I know this is a dirty word for many companies, but archiving keeps the online costs down considerably and there are ways to ensure the data is available quickly should anyone need it.

If you have a quality onsite solution now, consider just backing up your firm’s critical data online (accounting, HR, forms, and possibly e-mail) to save money.