Tag Archives: Cambridge (Massachusetts)

A Network Tune Up for Tough Times

The U.S. economy may be tanking, but Lilli Wiggins is as busy as she’s ever been. Wiggins, the vice president and customer care manager of Gainsville, Fla.-based Computer Network Experts, is taking in more business than ever. Small and mid-sized businesses are flocking to the nine-employee IT solutions company to find ways to make their existing network equipment and systems last longer. “Usually, when equipment gets to a certain age… about four years out, you’re on the edge, and thinking you’ll buy something new. Most people right now, though, are fixing rather than buying new. They’re not throwing anything out,” notes Wiggins, whose best customers are companies with fewer than 50 employees. October’s grim news of the housing market’s collapse sent stocks tumbling around the globe, creating recession woes and a credit crunch that’s making banks leery of lending to any but their best customers. Faced with the prospects of less available capital and fewer sales, businesses big and small are holding off on many major outlays, experts say. In a mid-October report, Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research forecast that computer and communications vendors will “bear the brunt of IT cost-cutting” as companies tighten their belts. How to make your networks last But just how can businesses make their networks last longer? The experts offer these five suggestions: Be proactive. Smart companies are taking a look at their networks now to make any fixes so that crucial systems don’t fail, says Wiggins. Clean out the hard drive and take care of any basic maintenance. “In this economy, people can’t afford to have a crash,” says Wiggins. Keep malware and spyware up to date. Yes, it’s basic, but so important, and many companies forget to keep things updated, says Wiggins. For companies lacking the staff or know-how, hosted spyware solutions are offered by MessageLabs, Cisco’s Linksys, and others. Keep close tabs on Internet use. Hammer down those inter-office and remote-worker policies about Internet use, and make sure employees aren’t downloading freebies onto the network. “There’s a fine line between open-source and free, and people are still downloading things that carry viruses and malware. It’s a quandary for many businesses,” says Wiggins. Schedule a check-up. Consider bringing in a consultant to independently review your networks and make sure there isn’t something you’ve overlooked in terms of maintenance. Consider upgrades. Adding memory, adding CPUs, or switches may be a good option for some companies wanting to use what they’ve got for a while longer, notes Jennifer VanDerHorst-Larson, CEO of Minnetonka, Minn.-based Vibrant Technologies, a business-to-business IT reseller that offers technical support. Consider buying them from a reputable reseller: by buying used, companies can save 50-80 percent on quality parts, says Larson. CNE’s Wiggins notes that most of these suggestions “are just common sense.” But in this tough economy, common sense is something few can afford to be without.

Bluetooth Uses Beyond Headsets

To many mobile businesspersons, the word “Bluetooth” is synonymous with “wireless headset” — you know, those Star Trek-like flashing blue earpieces you see stuck in or on someone’s ear — but the applications for this clever short-range radio technology go above and beyond hands-free chatting with your nearby cell phone. Today, Bluetooth can be found in many other products, including PCs, printers, GPS receivers, speakerphones, car stereos, portable music players, headphones, mice, and keyboards. And these products can help cut the cord and save you time and aggravation. Chatty Cathys and talk-a-lot Tims “By far the most common use for Bluetooth is in wireless headsets,” says Avi Greengart, research director for mobile devices at Current Analysis in Sterling, Va., “but increasingly, we’re using this technology to pair many other devices to help make our world less wired.” Bluetooth-powered speakerphones, or GPS units with integrated Bluetooth, are also becoming popular wireless in-vehicle solutions, especially in states such as New York and California where it’s illegal to drive with a phone up against your ear. Some auto manufacturers have added Bluetooth functionality to its car stereos to allow drivers or passengers to chat hands-free or for music streaming. Greengart says those who use a headset at the office might also benefit from Bluetooth technology. “If you use VoIP services on your computer, a number of wireless desktop phones and headsets let you talk without wires.” Navigate, not frustrate If your cell phone doesn’t offer integrated GPS functionality — to help get you from point A to point B with turn-by-turn-instructions — it probably has built-in Bluetooth, so you can pick up an inexpensive GPS “puck” to keep on your dashboard. When paired with mapping software on your phone, you can then receive audio and visual directions and find nearby “points of interest” as if your phone had GPS to begin with. “This is an ideal aftermarket option for those without the latest smartphones,” adds Greengart. Everything but the kitchen sync Speaking of smartphones, most users rely on the bundled USB cord to connect the device to a PC — in order to synchronize calendar appointments, contacts, tasks and media — but Bluetooth can replace this common practice, says Chris Silva, an analyst for wireless technologies at Forrester, a Cambridge, Mass.-headquartered technology and market research company. “Bluetooth can in fact be used for data synchronization between smartphones, like BlackBerrys, and a Bluetooth-enabled PC, though in the informal research I’ve done not a lot of people aren’t using it,” says Silva. Two likely reasons why this may be: you can’t charge the smartphone’s battery when connected via Bluetooth (as you can with USB) and the initial setup for Bluetooth connectivity might be a pain for some. “There are a few barriers of entry — you must first go into your Windows or Mac settings, add the device, then pair it and type in the password, and so on,” says Silva. Other applications An insurance adjuster or real estate agent might take photos with a camera phone and then wirelessly beam them to a nearby Bluetooth printer, says Greengart. “This adds convenience, especially for those who share the same printer.” Many wireless computer mice and keyboards are going Bluetooth. “Universal compatibility means virtually any Bluetooth mouse will work with any Bluetooth-enabled PC,” says Greengart. Foldable QWERTY-based Bluetooth keyboards for use with smartphones are also an option for those who’d rather have a PC-like text input experience during meetings or school lectures. Finally, Bluetooth Stereo (also referred to as A2DP) is becoming popular in today’s smartphones, allowing users to listen to stereo music wirelessly on compatible headphones or speakers; when the phone rings, the music is muted or paused so the user can take the call. “Even business-focused companies like RIM are trying to reach out to consumers, so they’re offering A2DP on some of their BlackBerry smartphones,” Silva says.

Bluetooth Uses Beyond Headsets

Multiple Locations? MPLS Is a Networking Key

Let’s say you’re a mid-sized business with a number of locations. Do you juggle multiple networks and multiple phone numbers? Are you afraid you’ll lose quality of service if you make a change? Maybe multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) is for you. Different from frame relay or ATM systems, MPLS is an Internet protocol-based service over a virtual private network (VPN) that has the ability to tag and prioritize whether voice, video, or Internet traffic is moving over the system, and assign it the correct class of service. The result? Phone calls, even voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), have optimal sound, because they are correctly assigned the best class of service. Video service is less jumpy. Internet service, phones, and video can run across the system at the same time without a total meltdown. “Voice and video traffic needs a class of service that is low jitter and low latency,” notes Lisa Pierce, a vice president with Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research. “MPLS can provide this.” Disaster recovery an advantage MPLS also offers built-in advantages with regard to disaster recovery. “You can store critical business data at different locations around the country, and if something happens at one location, you can go over to the other database,” says Sal Cinquegrani, spokesman for Vancouver, Wash.-based New Edge Networks, a full-service WAN provider and Earthlink subsidiary. There are also cost advantages. MPLS can be a good choice for a growing business with multiple locations that isn’t ready to pay higher prices for a T1 line. “In this slumping economy, businesses might not want to invest in T1” which costs roughly $500 a month, he says. New Edge offers MPLS over a DSL connection for about $240 a month, he says. However, Dan Hoffman, CEO of New York, N.Y.-based M5 Networks, says the process can be complex. “Mid-sized companies should really hire a consultant for this,” he says. But he admits that there can be real savings involved. “The real dollar value in MPLS is saving five receptionist salaries and avoiding having five phone systems.” M5 is a leading VoIP and hosted networks provider that also offers MPLS services. MPLS not for everyone If you have only a couple locations, however, MPLS is probably more technology and expense than you need, cautions Forrester’s Pierce. “For an [small or mid-sized business] with two or three locations, it’s probably too expensive…. It’s probably better just to use good old long distance, along with a VPN without the class of service,” she says. An exception, she noted, would be a smaller company that relies heavily on voice and video conferencing or data applications such as PeopleSoft that demand better latency. For most smaller businesses, hosted network services continue to represent the best value, adds Pierce. “They can be managed by a third party, there’s no commitment to equipment, and they can provide the applications a business needs without overkill,” she says, for about $10-$80/month per unit price. So, is MPLS for your business? If you’re growing, and need to make long-distance links, it just may be.

Multiple Locations? MPLS Is a Networking Key

Use RSS to Stay on Top of Competition

It’s one of the most convenient, time-saving Internet innovations to surface over the past few years: Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a technology that pools online content that matters to you — be it sports scores, movie reviews, fashion articles, tech blogs, or political podcasts — and consolidates these “feeds” for you in one place to read whenever you like. For a small-to-midsized business, subscribing to RSS feeds can also help you stay on top of your game by delivering relevant news about your industry to your PC or smartphone. Best of all, subscribing to an RSS feed is free. “The value in subscribing to RSS’s for a business are the same for consumers — the key benefit is you don’t have to manually check industry blogs and such because all the information is automatically delivered to you,” says Oliver Young, an analyst with Forrester Research, a Cambridge, Mass.-headquartered technology and market research company. “This is very handy and takes a lot of the guess work out of keeping up to date with your industry.” For example, a start-up health care company can find out what’s going on with new developments in politics, insurance trends, and emerging health care technologies and treatments, as well as subscribe to blogs and articles that deal with local or national health care initiatives. Keep an eye on competition Young also says RSS is a great way to stay on top of the competition. “Many companies, including your competitors, are putting out information, so seeing what they’re up to and how they’re communicating with clients and customers can be tremendously valuable,” he says. Brian Kotlyar, an analyst for the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group, agrees RSS is a great way to “get to know the landscape of your competitors.” “When it comes to industry knowledge and competitive intelligence, RSS takes a lot of the legwork out of what is traditionally a manual endeavor,” says Kotlyar. “It’s like going to the grocery store or having your groceries delivered to you — and for free — so which one would you choose?” Both Young and Kotlyar also suggest using the free “Google Alerts” service that automatically sends any articles or other information on the Web to your inbox if any keywords are found. “Instead of spending money on tracking services, Google Alerts are free and work very well,” says Young. “It’s handy if you or your company were mentioned in a press release, article, or blog post — you can now find out what the wider world thinks of you.” Starting an RSS feed Kotlyar says a company may also want their news to be disseminated in a convenient fashion. “From building your brand and becoming more of a presence in your industry, starting a blog, which can then be part of a RSS feed, is a great way to start for your business,” he says. It’s also good for search engine optimization. “Every time you post a new blog, you’re raising your profile locally and nationally, and you better your chances on being on page one for search results,” Kotlyar says, “which is key.”

The Truth about OS Security and Patches

If it were up to Hassan Michael, none of his customers would be running Windows. He is the IT project manager at Resilire Systems Computing, a Miami, Fla.- based IT services company that caters to small and mid-sized businesses. He deploys Windows to his customers only because, he says, “most people are accustomed to using” the dominant operating system (OS). But to him, the various brands of Linux are inherently more secure than anything that’s coming out of Redmond, Wash. Windows, Michael says, “has been scrutinized by 90 percent of the programmers out there in terms of vulnerability and loopholes.” Conversely, he adds, “Linux isn’t up to 20 or 30 percent of the market. That’s how many fewer hackers and malicious software coders are scrutinizing Linux.” There is anecdotal evidence that IT managers have their biases about how inherently secure certain operating systems are. And that may affect how quickly they deploy security patches to servers with that particular OS. Linux systems may be vulnerable “It’s something we noticed when clients asked us questions like, ‘We protect our Windows systems. Should we be doing something about the Linux systems?’,” says Jennifer Albornoz Mulligan, an analyst for Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research. She’d get these questions as she’d survey IT managers at different sized companies about their security procedures. What she is seeing is that, in many cases, the adminstrators are more attuned to what’s going on with their Windows servers, security-wise, than servers that run other operating systems. In a recent report on how OS manufacturers need to help users more with server security, Forrester asked IT managers to list five general categories of operating systems from “more secure” to “less secure.” The respondents listed mainframe OSes as the most secure, with UNIX, Mac OS, and Linux coming next — but grouped closely together. Windows was deemed the least secure by a wide margin. “Most of the attacks are on Windows,” says Mulligan. “You read the news and you hear about the Windows attacks most of the time. You don’t hear about them as much on Macs, Linux, and UNIX. And it’s true that there aren’t as many attacks on those operating systems. But what we’re seeing more of is more targeted attacks over time,” ones that leave servers of all kinds vulnerable. Risks to closed versus open systems Resilire’s Michael believes that the reason Windows is the least secure is because it has the most hackers gunning for it. But that’s not the only reason why he prefers Linux, security-wise. “I think the biggest thing that creates fear when it comes to security issues is that Windows is a closed system and Linux is an open system,” he says. With millions contributing code, it’s easier to find and plug holes. “Microsoft may have 50,000 people looking at that code, making changes and corrections whereas with Linux, you have the one-fourth of the entire world looking and making code and challenging each other to make a safer more secure code.” While fewer people are scrutinizing Windows before production and more after production, Linux is on the flip side. “What Windows goes through before they release patches is what Linux goes through before going to production,” Michael contends. To be fair, though, not all IT managers agree; some deploy Windows patches more often because they come from Microsoft itself rather than a conglomeration of random programmers. Christian Jacobsen, the vice president of IT for PostcardMania, a direct marketing company based in Clearwater, Fla., thinks that “no company can afford to have downtime and using programs and updates that are not originating from and guaranteed by a single source to be free from faulty programming or malicious intent. It could have a disastrous affect on their ability to produce.” As far as Mulligan is concerned, IT managers’ biases may be keeping them from seeing the entire security picture at their organizations. “People have a lot of different opinions when it comes down to the security of the different operating systems,” she says. “People are really stuck in what they knew 10 years ago and aren’t interested in change. Some people are really interested in seeing a shift of opinion. And other people are saying Microsoft just works.”

The Truth about OS Security and Patches

Are Managed Services Right for You?

You’re at the helm of a small software company and you feel overwhelmed by what you need to organize. First of all, there’s business communication, collaboration amongst your staff and clients that needs to happen, maintenance of your servers, and the list goes on. You know that in order to keep yourself profitable, outsourcing through a managed service might solve your problems. However, you wonder about security and control issues and if using these vendors can really save you the money they promise. Using managed network services, especially in this downturned economy, is a choice many small and mid-sized businesses make daily. Turning to managed services for voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), network management services, e-mail, and collaboration can substantially lower in-house IT costs and can cut time spent upgrading and maintaining servers for the small business. In addition, these vendors include professional 24/7 support that will react in a timely fashion if the system is down. Although deploying these managed and hosted services may feel that you’re sacrificing control, managed service vendors often offer physically digital secure data centers where data is continually backed up. In most cases, the managed service can offer more security for their data than what the small business can. Pros of using managed network services Lower IT Cost — According to Michele Pelino, analyst for Forrester Research based in Cambridge, Mass., businesses in the retail, production, wholesale, and transportation vertical markets use managed services to control their IT costs and keep their IT staffs streamlined by outsourcing their voice and data operations. In addition, managed services providers offer the software-as-a-service (SaaS), in which vendors provide software applications on a per user monthly plan. Simplify Operations — Rather than outlaying tremendous efforts in money and time in server maintenance and software programs such as Microsoft Outlook or Exchange, managed network vendors can relieve this stress on the company’s bottom line. Danny Essner, director of marketing for Intermedia, a New York-based provider of managed business e-mail services for small and mid-sized businesses, says that small businesses get “the best of both worlds” by having all of the benefits of using managed services with none of the direct costs of maintaining these servers and upgrading this software. Security — Says Maysoon Al-Hasso, the vice president of marketing for Apptix, a Herndon. Va.-based provider of managed messaging and collaboration solutions for small and mid-sized businesses, “We offer control without all of the hassles.” Managed service vendors provide anti-spam and anti-virus protection at all price levels and in the case of Apptix, their servers are housed in data centers with Cisco firewalls with 24/7 human and technical protection. Cons of using managed network services Lack of Support — The managed service provider may not place you high on the priority list when you call the Help Desk. Make sure you check the vendor’s record of support before you deal with them. Maysoon Al-Hasso of Apptix recommends businesses to call the support desk on a Sunday at 8 p.m. to see if they are ready to take care of you. Security — Check that your provider is as professional as they say they are. What kind of computers do they use as their servers? Intermedia uses Dell servers and has made a significant investment in their Cisco network, but other vendors may not have this level of server and back-up protection. Conclusion Invest the time to see if your company is the right fit for a managed service provider and educate yourself on how using these vendors can possibly resolve your IT issues. The old days of enterprise software that is a significant annual investment are past and now businesses want SaaS service that provides them scalable options. For instance, if your company grows, it’s a lot easier to click a button to move up a service tier than it is to invest in another server. SIDEBAR: Managed Service Providers for Small Businesses Apptix with over 186,500 subscribers, Apptix differentiates itself through its messaging, voice, and collaboration solutions. They sell business communications services such as Hosted Exchange, Hosted SharePoint, Hosted IP-PBX and also offers hosted VoIP solutions. Apptix is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Hosting and Application Services. Intermedia.net offers Microsoft exchange hosting, SharePoint hosting and e-mail archiving and compliance. In February 2008, Intermedia launched Secure Mail, which encrypts email and is industry compliant. They also offer two control panels: HostPilot and MyMailboxManager for greater mobile access and shared calendars to increase productivity and collaboration. USA.NET Hosted Microsoft Exchange works with companies from five to 60,000 users who can benefit from USA.NET’s tiered approach to e-mail and e-messaging services. Offers a scalable solution that fits your business and it is the only hosted e-mail provider that is Microsoft Gold Certified and SAS 70 Type II Audited.

Recruiting Software: You’re Hired!

In the old days, if a small business needed to hire someone they ran an ad in the local newspaper and waited for resumes to roll in. Today, recruiting means posting openings on Facebook, career boards, and your corporate website, and mining LinkedIn connections for friends of friends who might be ready for a new gig. When it comes to keeping track of job prospects and who’s where in the interview process, however, many small businesses are still in the dark ages, managing everything in Outlook, spreadsheets — or worse — on paper. Fortune 1000 companies have long used recruiting and applicant tracking software to manage the process. But it’s expensive and requires dedicated human resources and technology staff, which has kept it off smaller companies’ radar screens. Web-based software is changing that. Today, small companies — even solo recruiters and start ups with just a handful of people — can use software-as-a-service-based recruiting software to find job candidates and track them through the entire job interview and hiring process. As interest takes off, it’s helped push the U.S. small-business market for recruiting software to $522 million, according to Forrester Research, the Cambridge, Mass., technology researcher. As more small businesses use it, recruiting software vendors are pouring into the market, including Taleo, a talent management powerhouse that started out working with major corporations. The company has been adding two or three new small-business customers a day despite doing “very little” traditional advertising, says Jason Blessing, vice president of the company’s small and mid-sized business group. “Most people who come to our doorstep have a pain and they know we’re the medication to fix that pain,” he says. Others vendors: ICIMS, Bullhorn, and Jobvite. The competition’s been good for potential buyers because it’s resulted in reasonably priced software with lots of easy-to-use features. Recruiting software includes tools for activities such as posting open positions in multiple online locations, scheduling interviews, evaluating applicants, getting job referrals from existing employees, and sending candidates notices whether or not they get the job. Some tie into common office productivity software like Microsoft Outlook as well as social networking sites. Some vendors design the user interface so it blends into a company’s existing website design. Prices range from $100 per user per month to $500 per month for a company of 50 employees or more. Do your homework In order to pick software that’s the best fit, understand how you expect to use it, say recruiters, HR managers and others who’ve already made the switch. Other suggestions: Try before you buy. Take advantage of free trials. Heather Krentler, a recruiting team manager at Organic, an interactive advertising agency with about 500 employees in six locations, used Taleo’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) recruiting software for small businesses for 30 days and then some before feeling comfortable enough to recommend buying it. “It’s user friendly but for first-time users there’s going to be a learning curve,” she says. Talk to customers. Quiz existing users about how easy it was to get up and running, how helpful customer support is, how much customization is available, and if customers can make changes themselves or need vendors to do it for them. Checking “customer references is the biggest thing you can do,” says Jobvite CEO Jesper Schultz. Roll out in phases. Because it has so many parts, recruiting software can be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to start with the basics and add functions as your comfort level goes up, Krentler says. Finally, do vendor background checks. As demand grows, Forrester Research expects small vendors will be snapped up by bigger ones, according to the firm’s recent recruiting software industry report. Perform a little due diligence on potential vendors before you sign a contract so you’re not stuck with software that’s no longer supported because the vendor’s been acquired or gone out of business, HR managers and others say. SIDEBAR: More Information about Recruiting Software Find out more about recruiting software at the following: ERE — The online networking site for recruiters runs a message board where members talk about recruiting software, among other topics. The Association for Internet Recruiting — The website for this industry trade group has a list of HR and recruiting software and applications.

Tag Archives: Cambridge (Massachusetts)

A Network Tune Up for Tough Times

Bluetooth Uses Beyond Headsets

Bluetooth Uses Beyond Headsets

Multiple Locations? MPLS Is a Networking Key

Multiple Locations? MPLS Is a Networking Key

Use RSS to Stay on Top of Competition

The Truth about OS Security and Patches

The Truth about OS Security and Patches

Are Managed Services Right for You?

Recruiting Software: You’re Hired!

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Tag Archives: Cambridge (Massachusetts)

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