Tag Archive for cloud

9 Things to do when the Internet drops out…

November 14, 2012 admin cloud computing
Twitt

There is no quicker way to realise how much you rely on your internet connection when it suddenly drops off. You get the dreaded and hated “Internet Explorer can not display this page” and your email say it’s trying to connect.

help, we have no internet

internet explorer cannot display the webpage

Here are some tips and ideas on what to do when this happens so that you don’t go completely insane. At the same time, it may be a good idea to look at building in some Internet redundancy by having a second Internet connection. With a phone line around £15 per month and a broadband connection around £20, it is a very small price to pay per month verses the amount of money you probably lose per hour when your staff can’t work. Contact us here for more info - http://www.colins-it.co.uk/contact.html

need more than one internet connection?

Broadband Backup

However, while you are down, here are 9 ways to stay productive. If you have a power outage to boot then some of these may not be relevant.

1: Use Windows offline folders or on-line briefcase

It is always very useful when travelling, having a copy of all the data you require on your laptop. Same concept apply if the server goes down, each computer has a copy of the data that synchronises around the office and into the cloud whenever a file is added or updated. This starts from only £10 per month for 512GB of data. You can also take advantage of the Windows offline files feature. It allows you to mark folders on network drives as available for offline use. The contents of the folders are then cached to the laptop’s hard drive. This way, you can always access your files, regardless of whether you’re connected to the network. When you do connect, the changes are synchronised.

backup online

2: Find another way to get online

If you’re at home or at the office and the Internet goes down, the most sensible solution might be to find another connection. Probably won’t work for a big office but either use your mobile phone, a 3G dongle or head off to Starbucks or similar coffee shop with Wi-Fi internet access.

 

connecting to the internet while having a coffee

mobile internet while having a coffee?

3: Print what you’ll need

If you have a big report to go through and you are having issues with connecting to the network or will have issues with power on your laptop, then print it out and work on it manually. Sometimes going back to paper can be productive if you are facing computer problems at that specific point in time.

print out your work but watch those trees…

4: Answer emails

With no internet, it is a great time catch up on all those emails you have not answered yet. Microsoft Outlook caches Exchange Server mailboxes in an .OST file. This means that Outlook can display your email messages, contacts, tasks, and calendar, even if it can’t connect to Exchange. This caching makes it possible to reply to email messages even without Internet connectivity. Your replies will be sent once a connection to the mail server can be re-established.

If you have email on your phone then you can often keep going by reading and replying to emails on there or your iPad etc until you are fully operational again. Works very well when you are out the office.

need your emails where ever you are

Need email on the move?

5: Take care of other neglected tasks

If the Internet is going to be down for a hopefully short time period that doesn’t involve heading over to Costa / Starbucks then do those tasks you have been meaning to get round to doing but never seem to have a chance. For example, clean your desk or work on your latest travel expense report. Renew your tax disc or actually put tax disc in the car!!

6: Take the Internet offline with you

If you need to do a lot of research while travelling then you can download various websites that you need to look through / read by using a feature in Internet Explorer that makes Web page contents available offline. Simply cache the pages you need before heading out the door.

7: Give your brain a break

The idea of taking a brain break probably seems really out of place, especially since this article is all about staying productive when no Internet service is available. Taking a short break often improves productivity. And what better time to take a break than when your ISP is having an outage? Just put your swimming costume on and head out the door. Just be careful if it’s winter or if you’re living in the UK!!

hosted exchange

take a break while the internet if off…

8: Have a brain storm staff meeting

If you work in an office environment and your Internet service goes offline, one way to remain productive is to have an brain storm staff meeting. The outage may give you time to go through outstanding issues, catch up on the status of various projects, and discuss issues that might ordinarily have been neglected.

american president Obama

Not sure if following Obama’s style is recommended?

9: Return phone calls

Most people have a string of phone calls to make that they put off. If you have a VOIP system you are stuffed although you probably have a mobile phone. Now would be a great time to make those calls while there is no facebook on your office PC to distract you.

3 comments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

10 things you can do to improve your computer’s security

October 11, 2012 admin Uncategorized
Twitt

You can not spend some time securing your computer and the network it sits on and then walk away. Threats are constantly evolving and increasing so security is an ongoing battle.

Firstly you need to realise that it is not possible to achieve 100% computer / network security however there are a lot of things you can do to get closer to that 100% mark… The fact is, there is always a Russian out there with way more resources and time than you to sit there and get through your network. If he has a good enough reason that it…Incomplete or poor security can bring down a company’s network and/or your own computer. That equates to lost work, which affects PROFIT.Administrators must do all they can to ensure the security of their networks while you yourself should do all you can to secure you own computer. Just knowing where to start can be a challenge so here are 10 ideas of where to start.

1: Upgrade your antivirus

I’m always shocked when I see antivirus tools that are out of date or worse yet, expired. This goes for applications and virus definitions. When using Microsoft Windows, it’s critical to keep all your software versions as current as you possibly can. Keeping antivirus up to date is the only way to help protect vulnerable machines from malicious software and files. Another critical step for security is using proper anti-virus you pay for rather than a free package. See here for info on Free anti-virus verses paid anti-virus

2: Block users from installing software

This is a massive step towards making your network more secure. Yes, it can be a pain when users actually need a piece of software installed and the administrator has to put in the password to allow it but it is worth the pain. It is not always software that users want to install but often software is installed without them realising it. You’ll have far fewer viruses and less malware to deal with than you would if the users were allowed to install at will.

3: Switch your browser

As browsers go, Internet Explorer is still an very insecure browser. Migrating your users to Firefox or Google chrome will make a significant difference to your security. There are also some add-ons that will increase the security and stop adverts etc.

4: Disable add-ons

Browsers and email clients make use of add-ons. Some are necessary for work — some are not. Those that aren’t needed should not be used. Although some add-ons offer some handy features, it’s not always possible to ensure the validity or security of an add-on. And even when you can, it’s not always a given that the add-on won’t affect the performance of the machine. I’ve seen plenty of Outlook, IE, and Firefox add-ons drag a machine to a screeching halt.

5: Deploy a hardware-based firewall

The built-in Windows firewall is simply not enough and is also a real pain on a local network. Relying on the firewall built into your £40 router is also ridiculous and totally insufficient. The risks of someone breaking into your network and you relying on a cheap firewall to protect you is just not going to cut it. Remember that hackers don’t always break into your network to access or steal your data, they break in to control your computers in order to attack a bigger organisation and the attack looks like it has come from YOU!!

If you want real security, you need a dedicated firewall on your network. This firewall will be a single point of entry that will stop many more attempted breaches than the standard software-based firewall will. Besides, the hardware-based fire will be far more flexible and customizable. There are various firewalls on the market, we always use this one for our client base – http://www.anacondafirewall.co.uk/.

6: Use strict password policies

Letting your users control their passwords is asking for trouble. If you do this, you’ll wind up with accounts packages and important data protected with “password”, “1,” or worse — blank. Make sure all passwords require a combination of upper/lowercase, numbers and letters, and special characters. Password policies on a network allow you to enforce a rule that passwords must be changed every 60 or 90 days. Users will find this a real pain but it is important for security.

7: “Everyone” – access to network shares

Never give the Everyone group access to a folder on a network. This means anyone on the network, authenticated or not can have full access to your data. Rather give a group or individuals access to folders so that you know exactly who has access and it is easy to remove their access if they leave the company.

8: Use Linux or MAC

This may be a massive leap for some people but it is easy to use a Linux server to share data on a network. The box itself will be infinitely more secure and easier to maintain. Running Linux on the desktops can work wonders as well. If user’s don’t need access to Microsoft Applications, this could be a viable step forward. Especially in environments like an Internet Cafe. Linux users can access Web mail rather than using full blown outlook.

9: Use network access control

OK, not all of you will understand this so feel free to get in touch for more info but PacketFence is one of the most powerful network access control tools you will find. With this tool, you can manage  registration portals, and you have centralized wired and wireless management, powerful guest management options and much more. With this system on your network, you can rest assured that rogue devices will have a much smaller chance of connecting and accessing your critical data.

10: Use content filtering to protect from malware

We are finding this more and more to be a very valuable tool for blocking access to certain websites. Especially ones that stop productivity and ones that are likely to download malware without your users realising it. There are obviously certain phrases, keywords, and URLs that can and should be filtered, based on their history of causing malware. A lot of firewalls and anti-virus products have a certain level of content filtering that you can implement to being with.

Do you have any other ideas?

With the right tools and strategies, your network can be a much safer place for productivity. Comment below if you have some other simple ideas to share with our readers?

No comments , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

11 reasons to consider upgrading to Windows Server 2012

September 8, 2012 admin Uncategorized
Twitt

So Microsoft bounce in with another brand new server product. Generally we find new versions of Microsoft server products are better than their predecessors and certainly much better than their desktop operating system counterparts which has a few people excited but a lot more nervous and awaiting the inevitable service pack 1 release.

Having had a play with the release preview of Windows Server 2012, we have discovered some interesting things about the new server to share with you. The new interface has a few people sceptical, formerly known as Metro, but with more emphasis on Server Core and the Minimal Server Interface, the UI is unlikely to be the deciding factor when deciding to upgrade. More important are the big changes and new capabilities that make Server 2012 better able to handle your network’s workloads and needs.

Here are 10 reasons to give serious consideration to upgrading to Server 2012 sooner rather than later.

1: Freedom of interface choice

A Server Core installation provides security and performance advantages, but in the past, you had to make a choice: If you installed Server Core, you were stuck with it with only the command line as your interface. However, this changes with Windows Server 2012.

Microsoft realized is that the command line is great for some tasks and the graphical interface is preferable for others. Server 2012 makes the GUI a “feature” — one that can be turned on and off at will, therefore saving resources when the server is simply being a server. You do it through the Remove Roles Or Features option in Server Manager.

2: Server Manager

Regarding the Server Manager, even many of those who dislike the new (metro) tile-based interface overall have admitted that the design’s implementation in the new Server Manager is brilliant.

Figure A

Server Manager

One of the best things about the new Server Manager is the multi-server capabilities, which makes it easy to deploy roles and features remotely to physical and virtual servers. It’s easy to create a server group — a collection of servers that can be managed together. The remote administration improvements let you provision servers without having to make an RDP connection.

3: Server Message Block 3.0

The SMB protocol has been significantly improved in Windows Server 2012 as well as Windows 8. The new version supports new file server features, like SMB transparent failover, SMB Scale Out, SMB Multichannel, SMB Direct, SMB encryption, VSS for SMB file sharing, SMB directory leasing, and SMB PowerShell.  It also works beautifully with Hyper-V, so that VHD files and virtual machine configuration files can be hosted on SMB 3.0 shares. A SQL system database can be stored on an SMB share, as well, with improvements to performance.

4: Dynamic Access Control (DAC)

Microsoft has shifted the focus from separate security products to a more “baked in” approach of integrating security into every part of the operating system.

Dynamic Access Control is one such example, helping IT pros create more centralized security models for access to network resources by tagging sensitive data both manually and automatically, based on factors such as the file content or the creator. After that, claims based access controls can be applied.

5: Storage Spaces

Storage is an interesting topic in the IT industry these days. We are still a long way off storing everything in the cloud (many organizations are still concerned about security and reliability). There are myriad solutions for storing data on your network in a way that provides better utilization of storage resources, centralized management, and better scalability, along with security and reliability. SANs and NAS do that, but they can be expensive.

Storage Spaces is a fantastic new feature in Server 2012 that lets you use inexpensive hard drives to create a storage pool, which can then be divided into spaces that are used like physical disks. They can include hot standby drives and use redundancy methods such as 2- or 3-way mirroring or parity. What’s great is that you can add new disks any time, and a space can be larger than the physical capacity of the pool. When you add new drives, the space automatically uses the extra capacity.

6: Virtualization

Virtualization was the biggest thing before the cloud hit the IT industry and it is still the thing to do when it comes to servers. Hyper-V is Microsoft’s answer to VMware / XenServer. Microsoft’s virtualization platform is liked by a lot of IT Pro’s and wither each new version Windows hypervisor gets a little better, and Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012 brings a number of new features to the table. One of the most interesting is Hyper-V Replica.

This is a replication mechanism that will be a disaster recovery godsend to SMBs that may not be able to deploy complex and costly replication solutions. It logs changes to the disks in a VM and uses compression to save on bandwidth, replicating from a primary server to a replica server.

You are able to store multiple snapshots of a VM on the replica server and then select the one you want to use. It works with both standalone hosts and clusters in any combination.

7: Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Windows Terminal Services was renamed Remote Desktop Services and has since expanded to encompass much more than the ability to RDP into the desktop of a remote server. Microsoft then launched a centralized Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution in Windows Server 2008 R2 and now some significant improvements have been made in Server 2012.

You no longer need a dedicated GPU graphics card in the server to use RemoteFX, which vastly improves the quality of graphics over RDP. Instead, you can use a virtualized GPU on standard server hardware. USB over RDP is much better, and the Fair Share feature can manage how CPU, memory, disk space, and bandwidth are allocated among users to stop certain users stealing all the bandwidth.

8: DirectAccess

DirectAccess was supposed to be Microsoft’s “VPN replacement,”. It allowed you to create a secure connection from client to corporate network without the performance drain and with a more transparent user experience than a traditional VPN. Administrators get more control over the machines and the ability to manage them even before users log in. Group policy is utilised to control the machines as well and there is no hassle of setting up a VPN connection.

So why hasen’t DirectAccess taken off? Two main reasons, it can’t be virtulized and its  dependent on IPv6. However in Windows Server 2012, DirectAccess now works with IPv4 and lo and behold it can run on a Hyper-V virtual machine. It also comes with a new wizard to help make configuration a lot easier.

9: Resilient File System

NTFS has been around since 1993 and its been a long and well needed replacement for a while. There was speculation early on that a new file system would be introduced with Windows 7, but it didn’t materialise.

Windows Server 2012 finally brings us our long-awaited new file system, the Resilient File System. While it supports many of the NTFS features, a few have been abandoned, i.e. file compression, EFS, and disk quotas. However, instead we get data verification and auto correction, and it’s designed to work with Storage Spaces to create shrinkable/expandable logical storage pools.

Maximum scalability is the key drive behind ReFS, supporting up to 16 exabytes in practice. ReFS supports a theoretical limit of 256 zetabytes (more than 270 billion terabytes). That allows for a lot of scaling and a whole bunch of cloud storage!

10: Easy licensing

Microsoft and easy licencing don’t really go in the same sentence. However Microsoft have actually listened this time and Windows Server 2012 is offered in only four editions: Datacenter, Standard, Essentials, and Foundation. The first two are licensed per-processor plus CAL, and the other two (for small businesses) are licensed per-server with limits on the number of user accounts (15 for Foundation and 25 for Essentials). See the chart with licensing details for each edition below:

11: The New Active Directory

In todays business environments, data is nto always stored on the customer’s server due to the utilisation of cloud technology. In addition data is accessed by staff on various different devices like phones, laptops, desktops and other removable devices.

To address these new challenges, organizations have to change how they approach identity and security. Windows Server 2012 contribution to helping with this challenge is the introduction of Dynamic Access Control, and it brings with it exciting new capabilities and deployment options for DirectAccess. This means you will be able to better manage and protect data access, simplify deployment and management of your identity infrastructure, and provide more secure access to data from virtually anywhere.

Have you used the new Windows 2012 yet? What do you think?

No comments , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Back the F:\ UP!

July 27, 2012 admin cloud computing
Twitt

In its simplest terms online backup is a way of keeping your data files safe in the ‘cloud’ so that you can access them anytime, anyplace, anywhere ( for those of you who remember the old Martini ads!) and in the event of a disaster, you can have complete peace of mind that they can be easily restored.

 

image copyright http://ijustine.com/

There are a plethora of online backup services out there so without going into the pros and cons of each service I have compiled the top 5 features that I think are the most important:

1. Easy to set up – you don’t want to have to call in Bill Gates to set it up. You want something that is very easy to configure and where you don’t spend all day scratching your heads with a bemused expression on your face – don’t worry, we’ve all been there.

2. Automatic – it needs to be automatic so that it runs without you having to think about it. Don’t buy a service that you have to prompt yourself – you can’t be trusted.

3. Simple disaster recovery – if the worse does happen, and sometimes it does, you want a backup service that is able to restore all your data quickly and easily without you needing to take a crash course in computer science.

4. Compatibility – you need an online backup service that will work with a broad range of operating services. You might be using Windows 7 now but you are bound to upgrade at some point so you want to make sure that your online backup service doesn’t go AWOL just because you change your operating system.

5. Transmission encrypted – it needs to be transmission encrypted so that your data remains completely secure. This means that nobody can intercept your data and have their wicked way with it. Let’s face it, that’s why you are doing a backup in the first place.

So that’s my top 5. I could witter on for ages about various features and their benefits but I like to cut to the chase and I also like an online backup service to do the same.

 

“I have been working with this online backup for a number of years now and I’m pleased to say that it meets the top 5 criteria that I’m looking for and I am able to offer it to my clients with absolute confidence.”

Check out this link and for £5 a month you can be safe and secure in the cloud http://www.colins-it.com/Online-Backup.html

For advice about online backup and IT support in general please contact Colins-IT on 0800 107 7782 or email at sales@colins-it.co.uk

 

No comments , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Free Anti-virus vs Paid anti-virus

July 11, 2012 admin Uncategorized
Twitt

Do you remember those days when you used to go in to a pub with your friends or colleagues and you would be asked if you could leave your credit card behind the bar so that they could keep a tab for you? I remember it anyway!!  How trusting were we?

We wouldn’t entertain the idea today such is as our risk averse nature. It would appear that our fears are justified however. Over £530 million pounds a year in the UK falls foul to credit card fraud and a big chunk of this is through on line fraud i.e. somebody accessing your personal details on your computer without your consent.

McAfee AntiVirus Plus

So how do we guard against this? Well normally we download anti virus software and then don’t give it too much thought thereafter. But which software? There is a big choice out there in terms of anti virus software and some of it is free so it’s a no-brainer isn’t it ? Just download the free one….Now we all like something that is free but will it do the job you are expecting it to do? Let’s have a quick look at the two main differences between free and paid anti virus software;

Kaspersky anti virus

1.The main difference is the level of support you receive. With paid anti virus software you will have access to a support team of technicians who can handle any problems you may have and deal with your queries. With free anti virus software you are pretty much on your own. Yes you can probably access tutorials and forums but there is no technician on standby to answer your call.

AVG Anti-Virus 2012

2.Another significant difference is what features are included in the anti virus programmes. With free anti virus software many of the advanced features are removed and then you are bombarded with sales messages from the anti virus software company trying to entice you to upgrade to a paid service.

Titanium Maximum Security

Sometimes free anti virus software is an ok option. If you only use your computer for playing games and basically anything where you don’t have to access the internet then free anti virus software is fine. In many ways it performs the same as paid anti virus programmes but you just have to be a little more tech-savvy and proactive about guarding against threats. If that sounds like too much trouble and you just want an easy life with some peace of mind then paying for a more sophisticated anti virus solution is probably a safer option.

avast! Free Antivirus

Like so many other things in life, you get what you pay for. If you fall into that risk averse category and wouldn’t dream of handing over your credit card to a stranger in a bar then a paid for anti virus solution is going to be the one for you!

For advice about anti virus software and any other IT support options contact Colins-IT on 0800 107 7782 or email sales@colins-it.co.uk

Click here for more info on Trend anti virus

2 comments , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What exactly is Office365?

June 22, 2012 admin cloud computing
Twitt

“The Cloud” seems to have firmly attached itself to any sentence relating to computers. Everyone is desperate to understand what it really is and how it can help their business. Cloud companies are telling you to put everything in the cloud (for obvious reasons) whilst traditional IT support companies may be telling you to stay well clear of the cloud as they may lose revenue. So who do you listen to?

Let’s jump straight in and look at a pitfall of “The Cloud”. How effective is your business today if your Internet goes down? Imagine how effective your business would be if everything was hosted in the cloud and could only be accessed via the Internet. So if you go cloud, step one will be to drastically increase the reliability and speed of your internet connection which obviously comes at a cost.

The big beast that is Microsoft has just launched Office365.com. At first look, getting a host of office products at around £4 per user per month sounds amazing. And to be honest for a very small business, this is a great way forward and carries a lot of value. Take a slightly longer look and you realise that support is only via support forum unless you go the more expensive enterprise route at around £15.75 per user per month. In addition, the support will only cover your actual cloud hosted service, not your physical IT infrastructure onsite. So as an example, 30 users will be paying £472.50 per month for their software plus additional support costs for their remaining systems and software and servers. Should you go cloud? Just look at all the figures over 3 years and then make a decision.

Microsoft has a massive partner program and yet is essentially now offering their products and IT support directly. How exactly does that help their partners who have heavily invested in training, certification and software programs? Perhaps they can resell it and make a few measly pounds a month? If the Microsoft partner who is charging a client around £200 a month to a client for IT support will now make about £20 a month, then this may well affect jobs and the IT industry in general in the UK?

On the upside, this will be a great boost for the economy in India where Microsoft have their support teams, but perhaps not so great for an already struggling British economy. Remember also that the UK is driven by a huge SME sector and with good reason. Level of service and care. Large organisations cannot match the level of attention that a small business can offer to a client. Depending on industry, a company is only as good as its suppliers. (As he wonders where the laptops he ordered are that were promised to the client on Friday).

In conclusion, I think there is a lot of value for a small business or one man bands to use office365 and similar type cloud offerings. For a larger business, the costs soon mount up and there are some hidden extras. Look at the costs over 3 years and how the whole Cloud strategy will affect your business. And remember to love Microsoft and marvel at their new cloud strategy and dedication to their hard working partners.

http://www.colins-it.co.uk/Hosted-services.html

Colin Durrant
MD, Colins IT Ltd
www.colins-it.co.uk

 

No comments , , , , , , ,

Does every Cloud have a silver lining?

January 19, 2012 admin Uncategorized
Twitt

So what is cloud computing? Should I be embracing it or sheltering from it? Whenever I’m faced with a question like this I always find it comforting to make a list of the pros and cons but before I do this let’s start with some basics.

Cloud computing, in its simplest terms, enables you to store files and software remotely rather than on a hard drive or server in the office. You may not know it but you are probably using the cloud everyday in your life. Services such as Gmail, Hotmail, Skype, YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud all operate in the Cloud.

So if all these services are using the Cloud it should be safe shouldn’t it? OK, it’s nearly time for that list. It’s now possible for businesses to have their own private cloud which incorporates specific services and is only accessible to selected people. Sounds good doesn’t it?  Let’s look at the Pros of Cloud Computing:

  • Employees can access data and files they need even when they are working remotely or outside of office hours.
  • Assuming they can get onto the internet employees can access information from home, in the car, from customer’s offices, and from their smart phone.
  • Employees can work collaboratively on files and documents even when they are not together. Documents can be viewed and edited at the same time from different locations.
  • Setting up cloud computing can be very quick and easy. If you think about how easy it is to set up a Gmail or Hotmail account and be up and running in comparison to installing software which can be time consuming.
  • Cloud computing can be cheaper – you don’t have to buy and install software because it’s already installed online remotely.
  • You don’t need loads of disk space. With cloud computing you subscribe to the software rather than own it which means it works a bit like pay as you go. You only pay for what you use and you can scale this up and down depending on your requirements.
  • Cloud computing can offer unlimited data storage because it is online. It is not restricted by server and hard drive limits and there are no issues with server upgrades etc. If you need more data you just up your subscription fee.

Sounds like a no-brainer so far doesn’t it?  With all of the above benefits why wouldn’t I embrace the Cloud?  Let’s have a look at some of the Cons of Cloud Computing. After all, every silver lining has a Cloud, if you pardon the pun!

  • With the Cloud you do not physically possess storage of your own data, leaving the control and responsibility of your data storage with your Cloud provider. So it could be seen that this is a leap of faith.
  • You could become completely dependent upon your cloud computing provider taking away your freedom to some extent.
  • Your business continuity and disaster recovery are in the hands of your provider. Do you trust them enough?
  • What happens with data migration issues should you want to change provider?
  • What happens if your cloud provider goes out of business?
  • Can your Cloud provider guarantee the security of your data?
  • Cloud servers can go down just like normal servers so how do I access my data if this happens?
  • Cloud computing is only as robust as your internet connection. If you are experiencing internet issues you won’t be able to access your data.

Hmmm, not so sure now. However, it’s still early days for Cloud Computing and as time progresses then some of these issues will get ironed out. The comedian Peter Kay once famously said about Garlic Bread…..it’s the future!

The same can be said aboutCloud Computing. It’s here to stay, it is the future and whatever size your business is, it’s time to start thinking if Cloud Computing is going to be the most cost effective and flexible solution for your future data needs.

If you are interested in finding out more about how Cloud Computing can help your business, please get in touch with us - http://www.colins-it.com/Contact-us.html

Phone – 0800 10 777 82

<script type=”text/javascript” src=”http://twittercounter.com/embed/?username=colinsit&style=bird”></script><noscript><a href=”http://twittercounter.com/colinsit”>Colin Durrant on Twitter Counter</a></noscript>

3 comments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Server Install – part 1

December 1, 2011 admin Uncategorized
Twitt
Well, it was new server install time which is always an interesting journey. Our challenge is that in this instance we were upgrading the server, rather than replacing it so the old server wasn’t online post the upgrade. However we had some tricks up our sleeve to get back to the original server if required.
Essentially the server is a dell power edge 1900 with 2 x 300gb sas drives in a hardware raid. Currently running sbs 2003 server to be upgraded to sbs 2011. The reasons we are upgrading are based on
1. Exchange 2003 no longer supported by Microsoft
2. Sbs 2003 runs on 32 bit platform but Sbs 2011 runs on 64 bit which is quicker, more stable and supports a lot more memory.
3. Being a retails business, security is critical and we are subjected to PCI security scans which was failing with the older system.
4. General software improvements and stability with newer versions of exchange, SQL and the server itself.
There were a number of SQL databases that needed to be backed up and restored. There were a few applications that need to be restored on the server. The biggest challenge we ran into was that there is some custom software on the server that runs the till system.
There are loads of different modules and customisations on the whole server required to make this run and essentially we discovered that there wasn’t really a install guide for this or procedure for this.
So while the company was pretty good with eventually getting it all back up and running again, it did highlight that we need a very specific and detailed process in place should we experience a disaster and loose the server.
to be continued…
7 comments , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dropbox Failure

November 29, 2011 admin Uncategorized
Twitt

Wow, i just lost a whole bunch of important data out my dropbox account. It was apparently deleted off my computer which obviously I know enough to know that i didn’t click delete unless Rose my pet tarantula did while i was out the room briefly!

However, what was more worrying was that i could not actually restore the data from within dropbox. It wasn’t under deleted items (in Dropbox) and i could not restore it using the windows feature of restore previous versions. Which, by the way you need to do pretty quickly because i noticed that the old copies don’t hang around for very long.

I did find all my files in the Dropbox cache folder but I got a whole lot of access denied messages when I tried to restore these or at least copy them to a different location. In addition, it was just one long list of files rather than in each specific folder as they are currently set out.

What did save the day was that I had actually backed up the Dropbox folder using our remote backup software that we sell on to end users. I need to download a restore utility and then just show the deleted files and folders, right click them and click on restore. I have to do each folder once at a time and then wait for it to download so depending on the file / folder size, the time varies but at least I can restore my lost files.

So, while this is no advert for our backup service, it has certainly saved my bacon and I can genuinely recommend it as well as warn people that if everything is saved in Dropbox, it is not as safe as you may think. I have emailed Dropbox for support but so far there has been deafening silence from their end…

If you are interested in our backup offering at only £5 per month for unlimited data, then you can purchase below.

“Its a no brainer at only £5 per month”

buy remote backup now
4 comments , , , , , , , , , ,