Computer System Repairs V.S. Computer System Performance

Computers are supposed to make things easier. But when computers don’t work the way they are supposed to things are anything but easier. I receive phone calls every day from small business owners looking for solutions to immediate problems.  Murphy’s Law being what it is the issue typically occurs at the worst possible time. E-mail goes down at the exact moment that the big proposal is due.  It’s the worst possible scenario because you’re at the mercy of the IT partner.   Maybe the IT partner that you just called has the available resources to help you and maybe it doesn’t.  If the partner does have availability, I can almost guarantee you that the emergency rates you’re charged will feel like highway robbery.   As if that’s not enough, the IT partner won’t know anything about your computer systems  so the very best you can hope for is a quick break fix patch that lets you get back to what you were doing without causing some other bigger problem down the road.  (An that is unlikely)

When I receive these calls I always tell the person on the other end of the line the same thing, "I really wish I could help you, but I’m afraid this isn’t the way that we work with our clients.”   Endsight’s approach to computer system support is fundamentally different when compared to the more traditional break fix or reactive style support model.   Instead of waiting for something to go wrong, our team is working in the background to monitor and proactively tune our clients computer networks to that  they have less problems to begin with. Of course, good maintenance and proactive tuning can’t head everything off and so we do provide reactive support via the Endsight Response Center. Our average response time for an inbound telephone support request is 5 min. or less.  Each time that we close a support ticket, the client receives a client satisfaction survey with five questions. On average, our survey responses ranked 95% highly satisfied.

But even with reactive support there is  key difference between Endsight’s approach when compared to an "as needed" support approach. Endsight response center engineers have access to a wealth of information about each of our clients networks. We are incredibly diligent about making sure that we document each of our clients computer systems before providing reactive support. This helps to assure that when a client calls for reactive computer system support that the response center engineer already has access to all of the information he or she will need to solve the client’s issue. This really helps to reduce the amount of time it takes to solve the problem and also helps to de-hassled the support experience from the client’s perspective.

No one likes the duress that’s caused by reactive repairs. We’re always happy to see the plumber or the HVAC guy but we dread the bill.  The only consolation we have is the hope that the repair we just paid through the nose for will hold for a few years. Computers are a different story though. We’ve all been using them long enough to know that they’re  temperamental little buggers and that in the not-too-distant future that were going to have problems.  That being the case, it’s far less painful to find an IT partner before you have a problem and as you evaluate your options it’s a good idea to look for an IT partner that’s more focused on making sure the problems don’t happen in the first place.

Our clients engage with us to continuously support their network.  To learn more about our Outsourced IT service click here,   or you can can schedule an appointment with me to talk about the details of your specific situation by clicking here: contact us.

Should You Outsource or Keep IT In-House?

I got this from Joel Jacobs, one of our owners.  To Read the original, click here: I agree with the author that for a small business (10 - to 50 computer users) outsourcing to a local provider is likely the best option. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily always the best option.   I’ve toured a several small businesses that have incredibly sophisticated IT requirements. The very best way to find out if IT outsourcing is a good fit for your organization is to meet in person to do a comparison.

By Scott Gordon
Part of the ECT News Network
07/22/09 4:00 AM PT

It’s nice to have an IT staffer in house who has intimate knowledge of your business, your network and your needs. However, few individuals are experts in all areas, and those who have the requisite skills don’t come cheap. No individual can be available 24/7 either. For many small and medium-sized businesses, outsourcing may be a better solution.

Maintaining the network. Ensuring remote users have access to resources. Updating virus definitions. Troubleshooting email problems. Any number of IT issues can arise on a daily basis.

So does it make sense for small businesses to hire a full-time IT staffer or outsource their IT needs? That depends. Weighing the pros and cons in both scenarios can help determine which option is likely to best serve small businesses.

In-House IT Support: Pros

Easy access: A tech support person on staff can address issues immediately. Other clients won’t be competing for your IT staffer’s time, though there may be other departments doing so.

Cost control: As a full-time employee, your IT support staffer’s salary remains the same, regardless of the tasks undertaken — for example, troubleshooting a printer problem, setting up a new server, or staying late on a Thursday night to complete an operating system upgrade. This means that your costs remain steady even as your technology needs change. This can be a double-edged sword, however.

In-House IT Support: Cons

Upfront and hidden costs: Hiring a full-time IT professional is an expensive endeavor. Providing that pro with a computer, desk, telephone extension, payroll account and benefits drives the cost up even higher. For many small businesses, having a full-time IT specialist with a full-time salary working on staff is too cost-prohibitive to even be considered a viable option. Not to mention the costs associated with ongoing training for IT personnel.

Limited technological expertise: Your IT specialist may be good with Excel and handy when it comes to figuring out why the printer isn’t working, but may not be as savvy when it comes to diagnosing network security issues or upgrading the Exchange server. It’s unlikely that one IT professional will be able to provide expertise for all of your technological needs. If having one full-time person is costly, you might not want to calculate the cost for a small team of specialists!

Outsourcing IT Support: Pros

Less expensive: All things considered, outsourcing tends to be less expensive than hiring a full-time IT employee in-house. Many costs — such as overhead — are spread over several clients via the agency model. Additionally, your small business doesn’t have to worry about costs associated with training or certifying IT staff.

Round-the-clock service: Most professional IT help desk or tech support firms offer their customers 24/7 access to tech support specialists, either by phone or through remote computer access. This means that you’ll have someone to walk you through resetting your email password — even at 2 a.m. What’s more, if your main contact is sick, there will be a substitute that you can count on.

Outsourcing IT Support: Cons

Language or cultural differences: Struggling to understand your tech support specialist can make a frustrating situation even worse. Unfortunately, many small businesses choose offshore outsourcing as their least-expensive option, while not considering the time and aggravation spent on communication issues. This can be mitigated either by carefully interviewing various offshore firms and giving them a "test drive," or by hiring a local firm. The latter may also allow you to have the specialist on-site, which is highly recommended for handling most IT support needs.

Not part of the team: Because outsourced IT specialists are there only when scheduled or when you need them to fix a problem, you’ll spend time bringing them up to speed when issues do arise or when you want them to provide advice on future technology initiatives. Again, there is a solution: Get an outsourced firm involved in your IT needs on an ongoing basis via "managed services." This way, the firm can help with routine help desk and tech support issues, and will be more fully plugged in to your needs and requirements when it comes time to upgrade the network.

And the Winner Is: Outsource Locally

Certainly, small businesses have a variety of options for solving their tech support issues. For most small businesses, however, outsourcing is the best option. Outsourcing tech support needs allows businesses to stay focused on their own core offerings without getting sidetracked on IT projects. It also allows businesses access to cutting-edge resources and expertise, without the costs typically associated with staying ahead of the technology curve.

For many small businesses, outsourcing to a local firm provides the right combination of cost savings, flexibility and round-the-clock support without the language or cultural issues that sometimes arise with offshore firms. Outsourcing locally also provides small business owners peace of mind that when they need on-site tech support, they can get it, thus allowing them to manage their business, not their network.

Endsight Named to the Inc. 5000

Endsight was named to the Inc. 5000 list, a collection of the fastest growing companies in America.

Endsight CEO Michael Chaput commented: "We are honored to be recognized by the Inc. 5000 for a second year. We have a great group of people here and they have worked hard to make Endsight successful."

Endsight placed at #2795 with a three-year growth rate of 79%. The 2011 Inc. 5000 reports that the IT Services industry as a whole grew by 56% and was one of the top 5 job generators from 2007 to 2010. To see Endsight’s listing, click here: http://www.inc.com/inc5000/profile/endsight.

Quality Equipment = Quality Experience

I don’t get to play golf as much as I would like, but you wouldn’t know it from all the golf shirts in my closet.  My wife is incredibly organized and errs on the side of minimalism. As a result, she really takes exception to the fact that I have so many shirts and she takes every opportunity that she can to get me to purge a few of them. In particular, she’s after one light purple “Polo” branded golf shirt that I’ve owned since college. The shirt’s in great shape but it’s age and the fact that I have so many newer, wife approved shirts places it in my wife crosshairs every time she gets an urge to spring clean the closet.

Problem is that I’m pretty partial to the shirt. Back in college I didn’t have a lot of money. So when my mother purchased the shirt for me I knew I had a quality item. Of course, I never would’ve dreamed that the shirt would’ve lasted as long as it has.

I usually tell my wife I can’t give the shirt away because, "I just look to good in it .”  Then she rolls her eyes and tells me, "get over yourself."  She’s right, it’s all too true that I feel like I look good in the shirt, but I think the real reason I keep the shirt around is because it’s a reminder of the quality of buying quality.

Similarly, there’s a lot of technology out there and just like golf shirts, tech comes in varying degrees of quality. Sometimes the technology is so important that it’s really hard to justify purchasing the most "economical" option. Yes, servers from reputable manufacturers such as HP cost more, but the data and software applications that reside on servers are vital.   If something were to go wrong HP has a pretty deep bench and resources that can be brought to bear to correct an issue. The risk of using a lesser-known manufacturer really outweighs any cost savings.

But sometimes the cost to quality trade-off is less cut and dry. Wireless networks for example are often targeted for cost-cutting. It makes sense, wireless networks are a more recent addition to corporate local area networks.  As such, I think they still carry the stigma of being considered optional or add-on.   Early on this may have been the case but now more and more of us have multiple devices that use a wireless Internet connection.  That means that the equipment managing the wireless network has to be more powerful and it has to be smarter and that means it’s going to be more expensive.

At Endsight, each of our clients is assigned a Technical Account Manager or TAM.  One of the TAM’s primary functions is to identify key areas of weakness or inefficiency in the computing environment and to make recommendations to address those areas. Part of the TAM’s analysis includes evaluating and comparing technology options. Endsight’s  Network Operations Team is also continually evaluating new hardware and software that can be safely and reliably deployed across the client base.

Sometimes we end up standardizing on one of the more expensive platforms and sometimes not. More often we find that the most valuable solution (the one that will provide the most "de-hassled" end-user computing experience) isn’t necessarily the most expensive solution. But because were looking for the most quality solution, most of the “economical” technology is rarely the right choice.

Adam Camacho, one of our TAMs, forwarded the included link:   This article by William Van Winkle, details the findings from a wireless performance test that his team conducted.   Adam included this as part of the due diligence he was conducting for one of his clients.

If you feel like it might be helpful to work with a partner that can bring recommendations based on research and analysis of what’s happening on your network, click here and lets schedule a time to meet in person.

What’s difference between Cloud Services and Managed Services?

Cloud computing is still a very buzzy notion and still very nebulous in it’s meaning.   As more  outsourced IT firms add cloud computing to their menu of offerings  I’ve noticed that a new term has emerged, “Cloud Services.”  I think this  will only further complicate an already confusing  buzz word bonanza that includes Software as a Service, Infrastructure as a Service, Hardware as a Service, Virtualization, Cloud Computing & Managed Services. 

I think that part of the confusion lies in the notion that each buzz word represents an all-inclusive technology solution for a small business.  Unfortunately, its not that easy.  Each term represents an approach to delivering technology and / or  technology support.  Since Cloud Services seems to be the new buzzword lets examine it  relative to  Managed Services.

What are Cloud Services?

To understand Cloud Services, first it’s important to have a rough definition of Cloud Computing.  Most simply, Cloud Computing is a computing architecture that allows a user to access a computer application (email for example) using the internet.  Google Apps and Microsoft 365 are examples of Cloud Computing for business productivity applications such as email, word processing, spread sheets and presentation.  For a more detailed definition of cloud computing click here.

The technology required to deliver Cloud Computing  is expensive.  Profitably operating a cloud requires lots  of customers.  Many local outsourced IT firms lack the scale to build and operate a cloud and so many of them do what they’ve always done,  resell some else’s product.   Most outsourced IT firms make the bulk for their money from professional services  and so they tack the word “ services” on to the word “cloud” and voilà, now  you have “cloud services.”

Cloud Services allow an outsourced IT provider to aggregate computing resources and allow a client to access those computing resources with out the hassle and expense of building, maintaining and upgrading servers.    But there’s a real risk the needs to be understood before choosing to leverage a resold cloud.  What happens if there is an outage?  How much control does the local firm have over the cloud resources it is re-selling?  I wrote a whole blog about Cloud Computing Risks.  You can click here to read it.  I also wrote one about leveraging resold services.  You can click here to read it.

Finally, while  cloud services allow a business to shift the hassle of buying, building, supporting and upgrading servers to someone else.  It neglects other parts of the computer network.   PC’s, laptops, handhelds, tablets, routers, switches, printers, internet connections and firewalls all remain and all need to be supported.

What are Managed Services?

Managed Services  by comparison are about the people needed to run a computing environment.  Leveraging remote monitoring and remote support technology, an outsourced IT provider can aggregate  talent and intellectual property (think IT professionals, process, tools, analysis and strategy) and provide it as an always available service.  Clients can access the expertise with out the hassle and expense of hiring, training and managing a team / person of their own.

Managed Services are most commonly  characterized by phone based & remote control computer support,  but reactive support should only be one part of a more comprehensive suite of managed services that includes IT strategy and network operations.   For a detailed description of Endsight’s  managed services, click here.

How do Cloud Services and Managed Services relate to one another?

Cloud Services and Managed Services should be employed together to allow a firm to outsource All of the resources (people & computing) required to deliver information technology to its employees.   Regardless of the servers location (on-premise or cloud) the entire computing network must be supported and strategically managed. 

At Endsight, we merge what is being referred to as cloud services into a functional managed services container that we call "plumbing.”   We started calling the server and infrastructure portion of a computer network “plumbing” some time ago because it really helped to simplify the client/server concept.  I think now more than ever the thinking of the server and network infrastructure as plumbing is really a great way to make sense of all the  the options.

For some firms, cloud computing  is an excellent fit because of required features that are only available in the data center. Other firms aren’t as reliant on their computing infrastructure and don’t necessarily require all the redundancy and scalability that the cloud provides. Contrary to the prevailing wisdom, cloud computing or cloud services are not always the low cost approach to providing server infrastructure. But as I mentioned, at Endsight it doesn’t really matter where the servers reside. To us it’s all just plumbing.  Taking an agnostic approach to plumbing allows Endsight to source the best possible solution for each of its clients based on their specific needs.

If you’d like to talk more about the comparison between cloud services and managed services click here and let schedule some time to talk in person.

Endsight honored as a thought leader for managed service providers

We tend to stay away from the term managed services when we talk to clients about computer system support because we think it’s a confusing concept. 

Outsourced IT support and Managed Services are not the same thing.  There are still a lot of firms in the bay area that  provided traditional Outsourced IT services on an as needed, or hourly basis.  Managed services are an alternative  delivery and billing  approach that breaks from the pay by the hour model.   The distinction may seem subtle, but in practice it’s a night and day difference.  For more about the differences click here.   I also plan to post future blogs about this topic.

Endsight uses managed services to provide outsourced IT support for our clients.  In 2004, we were one of the first local firms to introduce the model.  Since then we’ve grown to almost 50 employees and nearly 5000 computer systems under daily management and support.   It’s success you can hang your hat on and we’re honored that our peers have noticed by inviting us to share what we know.

In June, Mike Chaput & Josh Carroll, two of Endsight’s founders, were featured in separate industry discussions about best practices for Managed Service Providers (MSP’s) .  Mike participated in a panel discussion at TruMethods’ Schnizzfest and Josh presented a case study with HP & Intel on Everything Channel.

You can read the details for each forum by clicking here:  Josh on Everything Channel and Mike at Schnizzfest.

The fact that our peers / competitors want to now what makes us successful is a real compliment.  We’ve worked hard to create a valuable service for our clients and will continue to innovate new ways to improve our clients experience with information technology!

About Everything Channel

Everything Channel is the premier provider of channel-focused research and consulting, events, media and custom solutions for the technology industry. Everything Channel provides integrated solutions to technology marketers for managing channel strategy to accelerate technology sales.

From building go-to-market strategies to partner recruitment and enablement to creating customer demand, Everything Channel offers the unmatched breadth and depth of global media and event brands, combined with the largest Solutions Provider database enabling an unparalleled audience loyalty and credibility built from over 30 years of experience and engagement.

About TruMethods

TruMethods is a consulting firm that helps IT solution providers achieve their full potential as managed service providers. TruMethods’ FormulaWon program transforms IT businesses by providing a proven, repeatable process that perfects leadership, solution packaging, sales processes, and results tracking through online tools, seminars, and the personal guidance of MSP sales authority Gary Pica, the company’s founder and CEO.

Be careful what you download

I was reading this online news article titled:

“One in 14 Downloads Is Malicious”

“The next time a website says to download new software to view a movie or fix a problem, think twice. There’s a pretty good chance that the program is malicious.”

I am sure most have seen pop-up windows while browsing the internet when suddenly, a WARNING flashes at you saying “you’re infected with hundreds of virus”. If you are lucky, you can click close and all is well. But sadly the majority get infected with what I call “scareware” in which you are attacked with an endless barrage of fake virus alerts and request to buy “the hackers” anti-virus program to remove the viruses which they used to infect you in the first place.

Working in the response center here at Endsight, I do my best to quickly resolve virus issues and limit production down time by trying to do a Windows system restore as soon as the virus hits. It doesn’t work all the time unfortunately since newer virus are starting to disable system restore. What we then have to do is hunt down the virus manually by booting into safe mode and running malware removal programs and inspecting the registry to clear the infection.

The main question I get from clients is, why do people do this. I find that people do this for different reasons, most for monetary reasons such as redirecting websites in attempts that you buy whatever is advertised there.  Also for the personal gratification that they were able to pull off such an attack on so many systems. Evil you say, I would agree.

Unfortunately, even the most secure computers with the latest antivirus software updates and protection can get bypassed when hackers exploit new holes in the system. Fortunately, Endsight is able to limit these attacks and the spread of chaos to other systems on the network through regular updates and patches. But in the end, it’s really up to the user to decide whether to browse unsafe websites or click on that suspicious link and download the video which a “friend” has sent of the funny cat playing the piano.

About Luan Trinh, Endsight Response Center Engineer:

Luan is a native San Franciscan with a B. A. degree in Graphic Design from San Francisco State University. He has an A+, Network+, MCDST, Windows 7 MCITP, and CCENT certification.  Luan has 5+ years’ experience doing remote tech support in a corporate environment for 2500+ users. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children looking for the coolest museum and parks to explore and have fun. Some of his hobbies include photography, looking for online deals for electronics, tennis and watching sitcoms from the 80’s.

Survey Results

We’ve included lots of brief surveys in our blog postings.  This is thanks to a technology called Survey Monkey and the development talent of one of our team members, Peter Hornberger.

Peter also took the liberty of summarizing the results from our surveys.  His summaries are below.  You can get to the associated articles by clicking on the summary title.

Microsoft Office vs. Google Apps

In the analysis of our survey results, we found that more than half of our readers are currently using Office 2007 or higher. Also, more than half of our readers are considering a move to Google Apps with reasons of cost, frustration with Microsoft, a preference towards the Google web based experience, the excess of unused Microsoft features, and a feeling that Google Apps is the way of the future.

What to do when Yelp Bites Back 

All of our responders had a knowledge of the business review site Yelp. Of the readers that responded, only 50% have Yelp accounts, but more than half have used Yelp to find products and services. About a third of our respondents have received business due to Yelp and the same number have gotten a bad review on Yelp.

Another Social Media Blog

The results of our Social Media survey showed that Facebook and LinkedIn are the big players in the social media market, with Twitter close behind and other services trailing. All of our respondents have posted status updates or tweeted before and surprisingly, more than half have been recruited via social media outlets. While recruiting through Social Media appears popular, winning business seems much less common, as not one of our respondents has ever won business through Social Media.

When Disaster Strikes

From our survey regarding disaster recovery, we found that all or our readers that responded have written business continuity procedures. The majority of our respondents use off-site servers and data as their business continuity technology and two-thirds feel that they would be well prepared in the event of a disaster.

Cloud Computing: Real Rewards / Real Risks

I logged in one morning and had an email with the headline:

“CUSTOMERS OF MAJOR BANKS AND RETAILERS ARE BEING WARNED OF MASSIVE EMAIL HACK”

“A recent data breach at Epsilon, the world’s largest permission-based email marketing provider, has affected clients of many of the largest banks and retailers in the US including; Capital One, US Bank, Citi, Kroger, Walgreens and Target…just to name a few. These companies have now begun warning customers that their email servers have been breached and that customers’ email addresses and names have been compromised. “ (excerpt)

I am familiar with most of the brands listed above, except of course of Epsilon. Apparently, all of the brands I trusted with my “information” in-turn trusted Epsilon. It must have made good business sense to outsource op- in email. The problem is that Epsilon as it turns out cannot be trusted.

Prior to receiving this email, my wife and I planned to sign up for a new customer loyalty card from one of the affected brands. But not now. I wonder what this mess’s cumulative impact will be on customer loyalty, brand equity and, corporate profits?

Cloud Computing offers a ton of benefits, but as this data breach demonstrates it also exposes you to a ton of risk. I recently sat in on a Webcast that highlighted some strategies for structuring a cloud-computing contract to manage that risk. MSPTV hosted the presentation and it featured David Navatte, and Richard Santalesa of the InfoLawGroup.

I think they did a good job of covering how you can protect yourself from legal issues. But while I was listening, it got me thinking about a recurring conversation I have with business owners about security.

In my opinion, network security is a balancing act that is levered to the two questions, “How much time and money are you willing to devote to keeping a hacker out? And How much time and money is a hacker willing to devote to get in?

The hackers opinion of the asset’s (data, technology, etc.) value is key. If the target is big bank, it is likely the asset is highly valued. If the target is a small business, it may be less valuable.

As such, a reasonable small business security strategy needs to attempt to make its network more of a hassle to breach than its worth. The goal should be to make it easier for the hacker to simply move on to the next less protected network than to hassle with breaching yours.

If I extend this idea to cloud computing an undiagnosed risk emerges. Because of their scale, big clouds like Gmail / Google Apps, provide many features for a low per / user cost. But with every new customer, they become more and more attractive to hacking and other malicious behavior. By comparison, a local cloud provider may cost a little more, but it presents a much less attractive target. That’s if the local provider is on the hacker’s radar at all.

I think that Cloud Computing is maturing, but I still think this concept is in its infancy. As such, the benefits and risks warrant a serious evaluation before any kind of commitment. If you’re considering this technology and would like to leverage Endsight’s experience, click here and let’s schedule some time to meet and talk. Contact Endsight

Microsoft Office vs Google Apps: Training is the Key

For years, small businesses only had one real choice for business productivity software: Microsoft Office. But that may change as web-based applications, delivered via the cloud, flood the market.

For many, Google Apps represents a viable alternative. However, before a firm chooses to shelve its investment in Microsoft Office there is a lot to consider.

To begin with, software packages evolve over time to accommodate the customer’s requirements. As a relatively young software solution, Google Apps is less complete than the more established Microsoft solution. It is extremely difficult for any company, even Google, to anticipate the real-world requirements for a full-featured solution right out of the gate.

The “completeness” of Google Apps may be less important because of the way its software is delivered. Google Apps is “cloud based”, allowing popular feature requests to be rapidly developed, tested and deployed without the end user having to upgrade his or her software. Once deployed, the new features just appear the next time the user logs in.

Microsoft Office has its benefits too. For example, it has been around for a very long time. A benefit best illustrated by a story I recently read in Network World about Microsoft Windows turning 25 years old. I am including a link to the full article here.

Network World also included a cool slideshow with screenshots of the different versions of Windows through years. To view the slideshow click here.

Just like Windows 7, Microsoft Office 2010 inherits all the lessons learned from the previous decades of end-user feedback, research and development. However, a large number of users do not use or need many of the more advanced features offered in Microsoft Office.

Regardless of whether your organization chooses to use Microsoft Office or Google Apps, end user training is a real key to success.

Google Apps is not a “Webified” version of Microsoft Office. It sorts and presents e-mail differently, key function buttons are positioned in different places and working within a web interface takes some getting used to.

Microsoft Office 2010 has made several user interface changes that will take some getting used to and many of the advanced features that can help business users become more productive need to be pointed out and configured. Once that is completed, end users need to be trained on how to utilize the new features.

As the technology changes and as we get more sophisticated as technology users the way we use our core productivity software will evolve. Firms that embrace this change and seek to apply it in creative ways will gain real-time savings. Time that can be refocused on finding new customers, making current customers happier and finding new ways to more efficiently operate the business.

We spend a lot of time analyzing our client’s productivity needs as part of our outsourced IT service. If you feel like it might be helpful to discuss your needs, click here and we can schedule some time to talk in person!

I am including a brief survey about productivity software. If you have the time, I hope you will complete it. We plan to publish the survey’s results in a future blog posting.