Where technology experts at Endsight share their expertise on IT Management, the issues that arise for clients, and the benefits of technology for medical practices, biotech firms, law firms, financial services and other small businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area.
My father worked in corporate America before everyone had a personal computer.Instead, my Dad had a tray on the left side of his desk that acted as his in box and a tray on the right that acted as his out box.
He traveled to Asia on multi week business trips and upon his return, he’d be greeted by a giant stack of memo’s, directives and other inter-office correspondence.His solution was to take the stack of paper from his in box and move it directly to the trash can.“If it’s important, they can call me,” he would say.
Dad’s approach to managing his data (paper) wasn’t glitzy or fancy, but it worked and I think it has some application in the digital world.
I’m pretty sure that if I deleted everything in my email store that was more than 6 months old, I’d probably never miss 99% of it. But I know to my core that 1% of that email data set is vital, and so the whole thing lingers on the mail server.That data is then replicated to Endsight’s off-site back up cloud and so now, this blob of mostly useless data exists in two places.
In his article entitled, “The big data addiction” Matt Prigg shares some of his insight into how this very issue is impacting organizations of all sizes today.In it Prigg says, “In a cruel twist of fate, our dependence on ever-expanding digital data has created a feedback loop that fuels its own growth. Within the past 10 years or so, we’ve grown more productive by using business technology. As a result, we’ve created even more massive mountains of data, and we rely upon those mountains to such a degree that we need to duplicate them – multiplying the problem again.”
In addition to email, Prigg is writing about business system data, file shares and a litany of other administrative and back up data sets.In a large organization, this data grows and duplicates at a much faster rate than in a small organization, but a small business isn’t immune to the problem.
For file shares, I think one of the prime culprits for expanding data is the fact that no one is really responsible for the files stored on the file share.For example, Endsight had a file on its sales and marketing drive called “2003 archive.”It hadn’t been opened since 2004.Every time I saw the file I thought to myself, “I should just right click & select delete.”But I didn’t create any of the files and so I couldn’t say for sure that someone wouldn’t go looking for a file housed in the archive.
I think the best solution for this problem is to create and publish a document retention policy.For an example of one click here: http://www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/sampledocretentionpolicy.pdf .This can help to eliminate any guess work and replace it with simple policy enforcement.You can even use technology to set rules and automate the document retention / purge process.
More and more of Endsight’s outsourced IT clients are encountering data store limit issues.We expect these issues to increase as firms move their on-premise computing systems to cloud computing.
All of the Great War movies have a scene near the end of the film where the climactic battle is over and the Medivac or “dust off” choppers swoop in to tend to the wounded, including the film’s hero, who typically gets a bandage over his eye or a sling for his arm.
For many of us, the last two years must feel like a war of sorts. We’ve had to make lots of sacrifices in one way or another including being forced to say goodbye to customers and coworkers. Even if you were not distracted with the recent events, you were probably fully focused on receivables and finding new revenue and didn’t have extra time to tend to your computer systems.
Last year I blogged about keeping an eye on your computer infrastructure as the disposition of your small business changed. Employee layoffs and office closures unaccounted for in network directories were creating gaping security holes in lots of small business computing environments. If you’re concerned you might still have that problem and want to learn more, click here to read that post.
Today, as the economy begins to emerge from the recession, it might be time to consider calling in the “dust off” choppers. Most of the small business owners that I know agree that computer networks are temperamental and that they require a lot of care and feeding. When left unattended (as many have the last few years) they become unpredictable and that can be a formula for disaster.
To get started on a good network dust off, I recommend starting with an inventory of your existing network. This inventory should include:
A list of computer users
User Accounts
Email, Mailboxes
A network diagram that includes
UPS / Backup power supply
ISP / T1 lines
Firewalls / Router
Switches
Servers
Workstations & Laptops
Data Backup
Software Inventory
Anti-Virus
Anti-SPAM
Operating Systems (Server & Workstation)
Productivity Software
Business Software
Messaging Software
Once you’ve completed your inventory, consider asking yourself these diagnosis questions.
Are there any performance issues?
How old is the equipment?
What is still under warranty?
Is the software licensing current?
Determining the current disposition and status of your small business computing environment and combining that information with an assessment of the network’s limitations will help point you and your IT partner, should you choose to work with one, to the right questions to ask as you redevelop your IT strategy.
Endsight’s outsourced IT support model is layered to encompass what we believe are the four basic components of sound IT management and support. Planning, Plumbing, People and Projects build on one another like a pyramid. Planning, at the top of the pyramid, is typically the first casualty in a recession. Without a good plan however, it becomes very difficult to maintain a small business computer network consistently.
That’s why Endsight includes planning as part of its “all-you-can-eat” outsourced IT support methodology. Working with one of Endsight’s CIO level IT managers, our clients benefit from regularly scheduled IT strategy meetings where we collaboratively review the current status of the computer network and together map out the future strategy.
One reader is locked out of a brand-new copy of Microsoft Office. Will the folks in Redmond help him?
Microsoft wants its customers to believe that installing software is as simple as loading a disc into the CD drive and clicking okay. Sometimes it’s that easy, and sometimes it’s not. When it’s not that easy, what are customers supposed to do?
Here’s the Reader’s Digest version of the article. A remote user needs to upgrade from Office 2003 to Office 2007. His IT department ships him the Office 2007 disk and a licensing key. The user is instructed to put the disc into the CD drive, enter the licensing key, and cross his fingers. The installation doesn’t go the way that it’s supposed to, and he needs help. The end user calls Microsoft and gets the runaround.
Microsoft is in the business of developing software. They offer support, but that’s not one of the businesses that they make money on. Instead, Microsoft works through an immense network of partners to provide support. EndSight for example, is a Microsoft Gold certified partner that specializes in, among other Microsoft titles, Microsoft Office 2007.
The EndSight team knows software like office 2007 inside and out and that experience allows the us to sidestep known issues in a deployment. But on the off chance that we get stumped, we know how to navigate the Microsoft support apparatus. As a result, our clients experienced smooth deployments that are frustration free.
At EndSight, we make it our responsibility to manage our clients licensing. This includes the requirements planning that determines the necessity of the new software in the first place, the purchase & life cycle management of a particular software title and the organizational deployment of that software.
There’s rarely such a thing as a flawless deployment. Computers are temperamental and there’s always going to be problems that creep up. To address that issue, Endsight builds ample time into the deployment plan to assure the resources are there to help users, the day after the deployment is completed.
“This kind of problem would never happen to one of our clients. We would take ownership and work it all the way through.” Says, Will Lee, Endsight’s Response Center Team Lead.
Will joined Endsight in 2005 after graduating from the University of California San Luis Obispo. A Microsoft Certified System Engineer, Will is in charge of the day to day operation of the EndSight Response Center.
Endsight’s Response Center is fully staffed from 7-7 Monday - Friday and supplemented by off hour pager support. This allows Endsight to provide their clients 24×7 reactive support. Each team member works out of the firms Berkeley office, has a four year college degree, and maintains various Microsoft Professional Certifications.
About Jason:
Originally from the great state of Ohio Jason Clause relocated to the Bay Area to work in high-tech. A veteran of the dot com boom and bust, Jason has more than 10 years experience helping small businesses apply information technology to improve business process and increase revenue. Jason lives in Dublin, California with his wife Jennifer and enjoys hiking, cooking and quiet time at home. His hobbies include golf, snowboarding, creative writing and performing amateur stand up comedy.
by Lauren Papesh, Business DevelopmentFiled under: Managed Services
Let’s break the 4th wall and come out into the open that I am a business development associate, and as my title reflects, I am responsible for developing the business of Endsight. Coming from a much more analytical and sociological background, I have been trying to come to a conclusion as to what exactly this entails for me. I know that Endsight sells outsourced IT management, that we assign a CIO, that we have system administrators and help desk guys. But so what?
This is all spectacular and innovative for clients but unless people know what that means for them, this laundry list of services will never take on their full potential. I call people all day long, people with the same problems and issues as I do, but unless I can resolve a pain, whether it be loss of productivity, finances, or customers, people will not take the time to hear about our company. Yes they may be interested in our service, but they are really interested in what it can DO for them. This big WHAT is stress!
People always want a quick fix for stress and inconvenience in their lives. The same holds true for IT mangement and computer support. But everything in life takes a re-adjustment of perspective for long term goals to be accomplished. To lose weight, you cannot just react to weight gain but proactively help yourself through daily maintenance. And this process is an entire adjustment in thinking that requires someone to change their daily habits and complete nutrition paradigm. The same holds true with IT support. For the burden and stress of computer, server, and application maintenance, one must shift their way of thinking.
Yes- computer support has been done, but we aren’t trying to provide the latest “fad”, but a new way of thinking about computer health and the health of your company. Humans are subject to their surroundings and must change as they become older, as health concerns arise, as politics evolve- in a long term fashion. A business is not much different in the organic sense of change.
And let’s now come full circle to the underlying issue of stress. If humans and companies are not much different, then shouldn’t they both address the issue of stress similarly? People become fatigued, irritable, desperate, unfocused and even in pain during the onset of stress. Don’t companies then suffer from these same symptoms?
Endsight provides an awesome service from competent people, but what we really do is shift your business health paradigm. Stress cannot be ignored- it’s the fundamental problem which seems to cause the chain reactions in our lives, and in our businesses, that we dread the most.
by Lauren Papesh, Business DevelopmentFiled under: Hardware, Media
Last week I reported to all you IT management avid bloggers out there about my recent traumatic accident. Well, it was more tragic for my Jeep and my left wrist than for me. Since last week I have purchased an awesome 2008 Jetta from Dublin Volkswagen (thanks Ryan). It’s so cute and nice inside, and I will be the first to admit that it’s a chick car, but pretty much the sweetest chick car out there. Besides its engine stuff, great gas mileage (25/gallon) sleek interior, it comes with something I never even knew I wanted- Satellite Radio!
Since its inception several years ago I have been interested in this form of media. Television and radio have always been favorites of mine due to their constant nature and background noise. It’s just a matter of transitioning to a format that I’m not used to that never pushed me into this new realm. I’m happy to see this venture becoming successful, I feared we would lose it due to people like me- nerds who want it but are too lazy to do anything. Sirius and XM have recently joined to become one satellite powerhouse. It took a year of litigation to approve of this merger due to anti-trust laws and fear from old school radio networks. Although I’m pro mom and pop operations and against Walmart-esque monsters taking advantage of capitalist America, I feel that there is enough room and desire for Siri-ex (not sure how they have combined names, I like my idea).
My Jeep Grand Cherokee (Rest in Peace 1994-2008) had been sans radio for the last year, not to mention the persistent check engine light, humming at fast speeds, clicking noise which I could not locate and random shutting off of all music for no apparent reason. Poor girl needed to go the way of “old Yeller”, but I never had it in me, so instead I rear ended a Dodge Van in 580 morning commute! That being said, it’s not surprising that when I drove my 2008 Jetta for the first time and heard the awesomeness of satellite radio, that I no longer minded the hour long commute from Danville to Berkeley. I never realized that I would enjoy non -stop progressive techno at 8am, or Led Zeppelin blared at full volume, but I do. Whomever decided that people enjoy listening to DJ’s talk about why Britney Spears is crazy, what happened on Dancing with the Stars the night before or any other topic on the repetitive laundry list of morning DJ programming, obviously doesn’t commute every day. Just give me music. So if any of you hundreds of thousands of Bayareaitmanagement.com blog readers out there are on the fence about satellite radio, ditch your grandmothers radio and move into the future, your sanity will thank you!
Over the course of a year, we meet with hundreds of small business owners and executives and the issue of network security is one of the most confusing and daunting for nearly all.
While many businesses have a healthy fear of network breaches, far more concerning are those who believe they are “below the radar.” We often hear statements such as “Nobody would want to steal my data” or “We’ve never been attacked before.” Unfortunately, it’s not just high profile businesses that are attacked.
What most executives don’t realize is that most of the time, no one is interested in actual data. There are many other reasons why networks get exploited. By understanding these reasons, it becomes inherently clear that any company relying on its computer network needs a basic level of security.
As mentioned previously, theft is a primary motivator for security breaches. But, it’s not the data being stolen. If your systems are not properly protected a hacker can install a program called a Key Stroke Logger (KSL). This software tracks every key stroke typed on an infected machine. The hacker can determine usernames and passwords, not only to your network but also to any website you visit - including your bank. (As it turns out, it is a lot easier to hack your computer than your bank!) Using KSL software, a hacker can access your accounts and steal your identity. Small business owners are left worrying not only about their personal and corporate accounts, but also about lawsuits from employees affected by negligent security.
Other network attacks are the result of ill will harvested in the process of running your business. It’s not
uncommon to see a scorned employee, irritated vendor, or angry customer retaliate in the form of a ‘hack.’ Indeed, the software used to attack networks is freely available on the internet and anyone with reasonable computer skills and time can take advantage of an improperly managed network.
Finally, boredom is a prime motivator of hackers. Many are computer savvy kids who feel a great sense of power by taking control of a stranger’s network. The hacker specifically targets an improperly secured network, runs a basic attack and takes control. With the keys to the kingdom, the hacker may engage in anything from an elaborate prank to the illegal hosting of pirated movies, pictures and music. For the unfortunate business owner, it all adds up to downtime, data loss and potential embarrassment.
If you think your company may not be taking appropriate precautionkey stroke logger,kls,s with network security, chances are you’re right. Consider outsourcing your IT management to a company that can administer the network using industry best practices; however, if your philosophy is to handle these issues internally there are resources that can help. ICSA is a third party organization that evaluates and certifies all internet security products. It is an excellent resource for deciding which solution is most appropriate for your network.
After all, education is the key to preventing network security breaches.
