Last week we were commissioned by a client to implement a new Windows 2012 server, build Active Directory, and setup Exchange 2013. It was a one pre-existing server solution with a small number of mailboxes. A standard setup with Exchange configured for mailboxes, client access (OWA), Autodiscover, and Active Sync. Everything went smoothly, certificates were […]
There are many skills and services that can make a successful IT company, but the most important is customer service. As with any small, service oriented company, we are both a customer and a vendor. When I receive outstanding customer service from a sales rep or account manager, that vendor becomes a trusted resource and […]
I have always been partial to BlackBerry smartphones. I prefer the feel of a physical keyboard over an on-screen keyboard. Research in Motion is a Canadian company, and their devices changed the way everyone (not just IT people) does business by removing the shackles that had most office worked connected to their PC for communication. […]
There are strong cases to be made for virtualization: Reduction in power costs Better utilization of hardware resources Easy transition to new hardware in the event of a host failure The list goes on. But one application of virtualized service that is overlooked in many cases is a virtual system backup strategy. It is very […]
Changing desktop PCs can be a traumatizing experience for a user. Not only is the hardware replaced, but quite often the Operating System is upgraded to a newer version and the business applications and other software are also brought up to the latest and greatest version available. To the user, radical changes to their virtual […]
It is common to find companies running with just barely enough human resources to get by with the day to day work. Unfortunately for the support technicians, that can make for a very difficult life trying to put out fire after fire, never really making any headway into the root cause of these fires. What […]
Anyone who uses a computer will, at some point, inadvertently cause themselves technical difficulty. It may be that you clicked on an email attachment that infected your computer. You may have visited a website you shouldn’t have and became infected with malware. Maybe you spilled a can of Coke on your keyboard and it’s died. […]
Obviously, a solid educational background will enhance the likelihood that an IT professional will enjoy a successful career. However, simply tacking letters after a name does not guarantee a quality employee or contractor. Hiring IT resources for a small firm can be a daunting task. If the process is solely handled by Human Resources, then […]
Successful system monitoring is a matter of balancing the information presented with the workload of the responsible technicians. The information being gathered needs to be thorough, but filtered in a way that techs can respond to issues in a timely fashion and not be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. Logs are important, especially when […]
You’ve spent the money on supplying your staff with what should be a very capable hardware platform for the jobs they need to perform. Are you really getting what you pay for? Installing Anti-Virus software is a necessity if you want to maintain data integrity, privacy, and system performance. “System Performance,” you ask? By the […]
