10 Things Every IT Manager Should do in 2010... Part 1

(PRWeb UK) January 9, 2010

Whether a business manages its own IT network or has dedicated IT support services here are 10 things that should be considered in 2010. Part One (1-5)

1. Fully test the disaster recovery plan

A corporate disaster recovery strategy has been a must have for all but the smallest network environments but ask a question, when was the last time it was fully tested?

Testing a disaster recovery plan doesnt mean restoring a random file from a backup tape, or even performing a bare-metal recovery of a single server. Assumptions cant be made the backups that have been running, have also been working and that the book way of restoring a network is going to work without a hitch. A recent study by Gartner (The Broken State of Backup) showed that 50 percent of those asked said that DR exercises encountered issues and 72 percent of DR tests weren’t fully successful.

An easy way to get ostrich like management to buy into the importance of testing a disaster recovery plan is to send them on a disaster recovery awareness workshop – these are run by many IT support networks.

2. Throw your Blackberry server on the roof!

5 years ago Blackberry handhelds revolutionised the mobile phone industry by providing users with instantaneous (well near enough) emails directly to their phones. It took Microsoft a good few years to catch and when they first implemented push email from Exchange Server expensive data plans from mobile operators meant it cost big money for an entire organization to switch.

Nowadays its different – most mobile phone plans come with either unlimited data or a large monthly pot. Companies can take advantage of the best mobile handsets in the world (like the apple IPhone and Google android based devices) and best of all there is no need for any hardware or software other than Microsoft Exchange itself.

3. Replace your next server with a virtual server

One of the easiest ways to dip a toe into the server virtualization pond is to P2V an existing old server onto a new Windows 2008 server with the hyper-v role installed. Pick the oldest server , buy virtualization compliant hardware as its replacement then P2V (physical to virtual conversion) to the old server onto the Hyper-V role, re-apply the network settings and then turn off the old box Bingo the server is virtualized and the makings of a virtual network environment are created. Many people dont think P2V server migration can be so easy.

4. Take a look at two-factor remote user authentication

Two factor authentication has always been the easiest way of securing network resources, it works in the same way a credit card and PIN does something in possession (card), and something in memory (pin).

Historically its been very expensive and has required servers, client agents, user pass code fobs and vast amounts of user training. Although the cost of these devices have reduced largely down to new manufacturers entering the market there is a new breed of technology that uses the end users existing mobile phone as the something in possession to provide secure access to network resources. A product called SMS Passcode uses this technology and fires a pass code to the users mobile when they try to authenticate to their corporate network, the user enters this code into a popup box and theyre then allowed to connect.

This type of technology can usually be implemented at a third of the cost and does provide the same strength security as the traditional two factor providers.

5. Upgrade your clients to Windows 7

Firstly lets just get something straight… Vista wasnt the greatest operating system, but it wasnt anywhere near as bad as most IT support and network support guys made out. The initial release was a little slow (mainly due to the increased hardware demands over Windows XP), user account control was clunky, upgrades were troublesome and some key subsystems clearly werent tested correctly. With the release of service pack 2 most of these problems were well and truly put to bed but by then it was too late for the ill fated operating system.

Windows 7 really is what Vista should have been the flaky subsystems have been fixed, the UI has been improved, UAC protects you but doesnt annoy hardware demands are roughly the same as with Vista, but the worlds moved on and theyre now more in line with expectations.

Microsoft are keen to drop XP (OEM copies of Windows XP are no longer available) and will be stopping public support for it soon so nows never been a better time to bite the bullet, accept the fact that itll be painful for a little while users get used to the new interface and get Windows 7 installed.

Read Part Two of this article here 10 things every IT manager should do in 2010… Part 2

Provided by Tony Brown Director at IT support company Phillips Taylor Brown.

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10 Things Every IT Manager Should do in 2010... Part 1

Logicalis IDs Eight Things CIOs Should Know About VMware vSphere

Farmington Hills, MI, (PRWEB) March 27, 2012

Today, with CFOs keeping a watchful eye on every penny, its more important than ever to embrace the virtues of virtualization and the ways it can help stretch server capacity, decrease the total cost of ownership of existing server equipment and enable organizations to operate at cloud scale. While hypervisor technology itself isnt new, there are some new and incredibly important advantages that the VMware Cloud Infrastructure Suite and VMware vSphere

Logicalis IDs Eight Things CIOs Should Know About VMware vSphere

Datto Inc.s Shannon Kohn Named to CRNs 2012 List of "100 People You Dont Know, But Should"

Norwalk, CT (PRWEB) June 27, 2012

Datto Inc., an award-winning provider of hardware based on-site and off-site backup, disaster recovery and business continuity solutions today announced that Shannon Kohn, Director of Marketing & Channel Relations for Datto, has been recognized by UBM Channel as part of CRNs 2012 100 People You Dont Know, But Should list.

This list recognizes individual professionals within a vendor organization who are responsible for driving the behind-the-scenes efforts in channel marketing, operations and sales.

The 100 People You Dont Know But Should are the directors, vice presidents and officers who lead their channel program without fanfare, exhibiting the strength, determination and creativity required to support solution providers on a daily basis.

Shannon helps to strengthen Dattos relationship with our partners and the channel through meaningful programs, support and unrelenting commitment. We are thrilled to have her on the Datto team, said Bill Pisani, VP of Marketing for Datto.

Datto has grown exponentially since its launch in 2007, increasing its partner base to include more than 3,500 VAR, MSP and IT Service Providers across North America and Europe. Kohn is hoping to unveil an enhanced Partner Alliance Program in early fall of 2012 that will bring Datto partners added benefits and assistance through a tiered partner engagement structure.

Im pleased to deliver our second annual list of 100 People You Dont Know, But Should by continuing to honor the unsung leaders in the IT channel, said Kelley Damore, Vice President, Editorial Director, UBM Channel. This list recognizes the behind-the-scenes influencers within a vendor organization who are making a significant impact on the companys channel program, and the channel as a whole, by working in any capacity necessary to drive profit and success. While solution providers may already be aware of a vendors Channel Chief, many are still unaware of the individuals behind the chiefs; the home office shot callers responsible for delivering a successful channel program. Many of these individuals lead the way without recognition, and yet they have made a significant impact in driving the success of their channel program. Im pleased to bring attention to their contributions.

A list of winners will be published in print and is also available online.

About UBM Channel

UBM Channel is the premier provider of IT channel-focused events, media, research, consulting, and sales and marketing services. With over 30 years of experience and engagement, UBM Channel has the unmatched channel expertise to execute integrated solutions for technology executives managing partner recruitment, enablement and go-to-market strategy in order to accelerate technology sales. UBM Channel is a UBM company. To learn more about UBM Channel, visit us at http://www.ubmchannel.com.

About Datto Inc.

Datto Inc. is a leading provider of hardware based on-site and off-site backup and disaster recovery solutions. Founded in 2007, Datto is a profitable and growing channel-only company changing the way MSPs and VARs deliver complete business continuity. Dattos offerings range from small data storage systems to large, enterprise-class business continuity solutions. Easy and affordable pricing, no recovery or incidental fees, generous upgrade plans and US-based technical support are just a few ways Datto is changing the channel. To learn more about Datto, visit http://www.dattobackup.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and our Blog.

Becoming a Datto partner is easy and free. Simply visit the partner page of the website at http://www.dattobackup.com/partners/join and fill out a resale partner form to get started today.

Datto Inc.s Shannon Kohn Named to CRNs 2012 List of "100 People You Dont Know, But Should"

Emerson Network Power Considers How Far Organizations Should Go to Improve Data Center Efficiency

Columbus, OHIO (PRWEB) October 24, 2012

Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson and a global leader in maximizing availability, capacity and efficiency of critical infrastructure, today released guidelines for organizations to consider when deciding to retrofit or replace a data center in the quest for greater efficiency.

Over the past few years, IT systems and data center infrastructure technologies that significantly improve efficiency have become available. Accordingly, the experts at Emerson Network Power now are frequently asked to help organizations determine how to take advantage of these improvements, especially in data centers that have run or are running out of capacity. Whats the better course of action? Should they retrofit the existing data center or replace it with a new one?

When to Retrofit

A retrofit is a good option when efficiency and stranded capacity are the major issues. Retrofitting has advantages over building a new data center, cost being at the top of the list, said Peter Panfil, vice president of global power, Emerson Network Power. Today, a new data center could cost in the range of $ 17M per megawatt, with ways to push this down to $ 12M per megawatt (for example, through UPS utilization improvements). A retrofit will run 25 percent to 40 percent of the new-build cost and in many cases can deliver the efficiency and capacity needed to extend the life of the data center.

Newer cooling, power and IT technologies that improve energy efficiency also help recover stranded capacity. Recovered capacity then can be allocated where needed.

Cold-aisle containment, intelligent controls that monitor conditions at the server and economization all lead to better efficiency by improving temperature and airflow management.

Additionally, implementing component technologies that optimize the cooling system to work more efficiently at partial loads is another good way to recover capacity without starting from scratch. Variable speed drives improve efficiency significantly over traditional fixed-speed fans, and electronically commutated (EC) plug fans are even more efficient. Both variable speed drives and EC plug fans can be installed on existing cooling units and their operation optimized by networking the cooling units through intelligent controls. Intelligent controls ensure the units work together as a system to optimize performance and efficiency.

Component upgrades such as these are much less intrusive than replacing entire cooling systems, and their payback is typically about two years, said Steve Madara, vice president and general manager, Emerson Network Powers Liebert Precision Cooling business. When you consider adding new components to upgrade existing precision cooling equipment, however, keep in mind that its like deciding when to trade in your car for a new model. Theres a certain point where you cant get enough mileage from retrofitted equipment to make it worth the investment.

Upgrades that make the power system more efficient include double-conversion UPS technology that eliminates conversion process losses, intelligent pairing of UPS modules and high-efficiency transformers. Additionally, adding a data center infrastructure management solution, implementing eco-mode on the UPS and optimizing the power path from the UPS to the servers all contribute to energy savings.

Data center managers also can employ Emerson Network Powers Energy Logic to improve energy efficiency. Energy Logic leverages the cascade effect that occurs when lower energy consumption at the component and device level is magnified by reducing demand on support systems. Its possible to achieve high overall energy savings from the cascade effect. Saving energy extends the useful life of the data center by freeing space in the data center that can be used for IT expansion.

When to Replace

While many options for retrofitting the data center exist, it is not always the practical choice. The downside of a major retrofit is that you are doing it in a live data center, Panfil said. If you are maxed out on space, its difficult to upgrade for efficiency without jeopardizing availability. In this case, upgrading unit by unit may protect against downtime, but organizations should consider building a new data center when:

1.

Emerson Network Power Considers How Far Organizations Should Go to Improve Data Center Efficiency

Most of us who use the internet are well aware of the potential risks at hand. Apart from malwares and virus that creates complication one can find several additional apparent problems by using the internet. There is a serious danger of someone stealing your private information and also hacking your pc if you use internet that is not protected. It is simple to prevail over this kind of difficulties simply by using a Virtual Private Network(VPN). VPN can be explained as a protected tunnel over the web. There are numerous added advantages by using a VPN. However let us discuss three reasons why you should start using a VPN. 1)Improves Security : It is the obvious purpose the majority of us use VPN for. If you end up utilizing your netbook in any wifi hot-spot there exists a quite significant probability of your system being compromised. In fact home internet connection is not absolutely safe . Hence using a VPN,will help us stay protected at any point of time. 2)Increases Privacy : Every one of us like to hold our private stuff private. We do not desire some one to know what we spoke with our colleague. Most of us don’t like some one to maintain record for the many web pages we have visited. But the real truth is your current Isp possesses all of the records data of what ever you did using the internet. Whenever you us any VPN it sends your complete information through a secured tunnel and not possible with regard to virtually any one,to keep track of your current Web activity. 3)Rise above Limitation : In case you are residing in particular parts of the , you might not be allowed to access a whole lot websites and take advantage of software programs like skype. So having a VPN is going to assist an individual get over this kind of constraints. You can even receive easy access to geocentric resources which is certainly unachievable with out a Virtual Private Network. For example if you would like to Watch UK TV Abroad , you then just need to get a VPN that gives a UK IP. You do not need to purchase any kind of pricey software to get this done. Apart from this there are plenty of other advantages of utilizing a VPN. If particular web pages are blacklisted within your university, you can make use of a VPN to get over it. So besides delivering security and privacy VPN also offers options for you to watch UK and US tv online with out spending additional money. The installation of a VPN is very simple and additionally there is always absolutely no long term commitments with nearly all of the fine VPN providers. So get yourself a VPN and have a superior experience using the Web. Steve Harper is an Well known expert in in the field of internet security. You can check out his recommended VPN service if you want to watch UK and US tv online.Whatsonthebox offers a great solution to watch watch UK TV abroad More Virtual Private Networks Articles 3 Reasons Why You Should Use A Virtual Private Network(VPN) In Order To Encrypt Ones Internet Traffic

Most of us who use the internet are well aware of the potential risks at hand. Apart from malwares and virus that creates complication one can find several additional apparent problems by using the internet. There is a serious danger of someone stealing your private information and also hacking your pc if you use internet that is not protected. It is simple to prevail over this kind of difficulties simply by using a Virtual Private Network(VPN). VPN can be explained as a protected tunnel over the web. There are numerous added advantages by using a VPN. However let us discuss three reasons why you should start using a VPN.

1)Improves Security : It is the obvious purpose the majority of us use VPN for. If you end up utilizing your netbook in any wifi hot-spot there exists a quite significant probability of your system being compromised. In fact home internet connection is not absolutely safe . Hence using a VPN,will help us stay protected at any point of time.

2)Increases Privacy : Every one of us like to hold our private stuff private. We do not desire some one to know what we spoke with our colleague. Most of us don’t like some one to maintain record for the many web pages we have visited. But the real truth is your current Isp possesses all of the records data of what ever you did using the internet. Whenever you us any VPN it sends your complete information through a secured tunnel and not possible with regard to virtually any one,to keep track of your current Web activity.

3)Rise above Limitation : In case you are residing in particular parts of the , you might not be allowed to access a whole lot websites and take advantage of software programs like skype. So having a VPN is going to assist an individual get over this kind of constraints. You can even receive easy access to geocentric resources which is certainly unachievable with out a Virtual Private Network. For example if you would like to Watch UK TV Abroad , you then just need to get a VPN that gives a UK IP. You do not need to purchase any kind of pricey software to get this done.

Apart from this there are plenty of other advantages of utilizing a VPN. If particular web pages are blacklisted within your university, you can make use of a VPN to get over it. So besides delivering security and privacy VPN also offers options for you to watch UK and US tv online with out spending additional money. The installation of a VPN is very simple and additionally there is always absolutely no long term commitments with nearly all of the fine VPN providers. So get yourself a VPN and have a superior experience using the Web.

Steve Harper is an Well known expert in in the field of internet security. You can check out his recommended VPN service if you want to watch UK and US tv online.Whatsonthebox offers a great solution to watch watch UK TV abroad

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3 Reasons Why You Should Use A Virtual Private Network(VPN) In Order To Encrypt Ones Internet Traffic