'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Here's a new rendition of an old favorite: How Aegis Business Technologies gets into the holiday spirit. If you like it, tweet about it!

‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house

Every creature was stirring, yes, even the mouse.

The servers were checked by the technicians with care,

In hopes there’d be no crashes come the New Year.

Blake Dowling was hunkered down over his desk,

While Jeanne searched for deals online without any rest.

And Pam in her office and Rob with his map,

Searching for drop zones in the walls with a “tap”!

When from the phones there arose such a clatter,

Amanda sprang from her desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the client Bill flew like a flash,

He raced to his car like it was the 50 yard dash.

The moon was abreast on the Capitol Dome

It was 4:59 – only a moment before close.

Yet, not a person did balk, or disappear

Instead, all ran to help the client in fear.

With Brad at the helm, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment there was no need to panic.

More rapid than eagles the technicians came,

Brad whistled and shouted and called them by name:

Now David, now Kevin,

and now Heather Williams!

Shawn Moore and Terry,

Amanda and Mr. Cummings!

To the computer desks!

To the doorways and halls!

Now work away, work away, work away all!

As the dry leaves that before the hurricane fly,

When met with an obstacle, techs hold their heads high,

So to the root of the problem they quickly jumped to

With brains full of knowledge and experience too.

And then in the twinkling I heard the whirr of a fan

Inside each person’s workstation, on everyone’s desk.

As I drew in my head and was turning around,

In came the client, CEO, with a bound.

His face full of wrinkles from forehead to chin,

The worry of crashing seemed to weigh upon him.

When the techs broke the good news, exclaiming “we’re back!”

He sighed with relief, found a chair and collapsed.

His eyes began to twinkle, his dimples how merry,

His face seemed to light up, like fireworks in January.

He turned to the team, dropping his head with a bow

And whispered incredulously, “but… but…but how?!

Louis stepped forward, sensing the CEO’s relief

And a quick explanation to him he did bequeath.

His company saved, the CEO was so happy,

He shook Pam’s hand hard, ‘til it turned into jelly.

All problems were solved by Aegis that night,

Working tirelessly, for long hours, without putting up a fight.

In the blink of an eye and the twist of a knob,

Two brief phone calls and a chat sesh to finish the job.

After completion they went to their cars

Packed up their tools and drove into the dark.

The CEO stood and watched them drive off,

Then headed inside to finish his quaff.

Then out in the distance and just out of sight

He heard faint voices shouting

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is the only time that I, the writer for a technology company, will tell you to throw your technology out the window. Yes, you heard me right. Thanksgiving is not the time for technology. Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends; for traditional (and complicated) recipes – homemade pumpkin pie (sorry Betty Crocker), turkeys that take 10 hours to cook, cranberry sauce not from a can and cracking walnuts while sitting around the kitchen table.

The past few years have been hard. Times have been tough. Wallets have become tighter and any technology that could cut cost or save time has been implemented to its fullest capability. And that’s great. We have become a generation of adapters, innovators, and go getters. The midnight oil burns well past 12am and every small business owner in Tallahassee, and everywhere, is holding their breath and hoping for the best.

But on the 24th, let’s take a breath. Take one day to not worry about tomorrow. Let the emails go unread, the phone calls go unanswered and enjoy the company of those right in front of you.

It’s been tough, but if you’re reading this, you’re still kicking, and thanks to all of you, so is Aegis. Our team wanted to take a moment to tell you that we appreciate the opportunities that you - our friends, vendors and customers have given us -it's because of you all that we have made it to where we are  today.

Have a safe and happy Holiday and don’t forget to give thanks to those that mean the most to you! 

SCARY TECHNOLOGY: CYBERWARS, JOB LOSS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, OH MY!

When I think of October I think of witches and warlocks, ghosts and goblins, and fun sized candy bars that aren’t any fun at all since they’re too small to get any real enjoyment out of them. I think of haunted houses and headless horsemen and all the other scary things that go along with the Halloween Holiday. I do not, however, think of technology – although I should. Technology can be more frightening than any ghost or headless horseman. While the kooky creatures come out but once a year, these scary technologies can creep up behind you 365 days a year. Here are some of the most terrifying technologies that leave me shaking in my shoes. So be afraid… be very afraid!

  1. Artificial Intelligence: Think back to 1950. What were the popular movies of the time? You may remember The Thing, Creature from the Black Lagoon or I Married A Monster from Outer Space. Fast forward to modern day and aliens got traded out for another type of scary invasion. Movies like I, Robot, Minority Report and A.I. are now the box office hits and the theme is a frightening one: Artificial intelligence, aka computers, have the ability to outsmart humans and even take over the world. Although it may not be a reality yet (or perhaps ever) it’s still a frightening thought! For more information on this click here:http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/5-scary-technologies4.htm
 

  2. Cloud Computing: Chances are, you’ve stumbled across this new technology at some point- people are storing all kinds of things in “the cloud” – music, grocery lists, birth certificates and work reports. Granted, it has a lot of upsides- cost, convenience and scalability to name a few, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Unfortunately the law does not classify searching your home and searching your computer in the same way. So while it takes a search warrant to enter your house, often it only takes a subpoena (which is much easier to obtain) to search your computer and invade your privacy. With everything being stored in the cloud these days, it means almost everything is available to be searched, sometimes even without your knowledge. While I don’t have anything to hide, I don’t like the idea of my life being an open book to anyone who wants to nose around either! For more information on this click here: https://ssd.eff.org/book/export/html/42
 

  3. Job Loss: The economy is down, the unemployment rate is up, and although all parties claim that they have the magical solution to create jobs and boost the economy, this could be far from the truth. And it’s not because of the evil Republicans, the disastrous Democrats or the crazy Tea Partiers – we can blame it on technology! More and more, technology is taking over jobs that used to require a human or multiple humans, to complete. Even though the new equipment will require a person to operate it, that may not be enough to keep hundreds or even thousands from losing their jobs. For more information, click here:http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/10/07/9-skilled-occupations-being-killed-by-technology/?ncid=dynalduscare00000003|
 

  4. Cyberwars: I’m sure you’ve experience mild to severe frustration when the power goes out. Besides having no lights and no water, not having internet can pretty much bring your life to a screeching hault. Well imagine if a virus came in and wiped out everything on the internet – bank accounts, business records, criminal histories etc. Nowadays, everything has gone “paperless” to make the world a greener place. But if the only file on record is an online file, we could be in big trouble. If you think the government had difficulty now, imagine how bad  it could be after a cyberwar! For more information on this click here:http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/241393/security_upgrades_needed_with_growing_cyberwar_threats.html

I know some of these ideas are farfetched, but in the spirit of Halloween, I thought it only appropriate to give you just a few more spooky things to think about when you lay down to sleep at night. So keep your eyes open and your ears alert – you never know where the next scare will come from.

Happy Halloween, and remember, if any of your technology is scaring you, give Aegis a call and we’d be more than happy to get rid of any “I.T. skeletons” you may have hiding in your closet!

Advice from Earl: The Millionaire Mattress Maker

The other night I was perusing the CNBC website, hoping to find an article or picture that would help inspire me to write this article, when I stumbled upon a blog titled “How I Made My Millions: Important Lessons Learned by Earl Kluft”. Needless to say, this intrigued me – I would like to make a million dollars. I’d also like Aegis to make a million dollars. I assumed the lovely, intelligent, and wealthy Mr. Kluft must be involved in one of the latest technology related inventions- perhaps he was hobnobbing with Zuckerberg and Jobs, and scooped up the latest big idea. I was wrong. Earl Kluft made his millions making mattresses. And no, he’s not the owner of Sealy, Serta, Simmons or Stearns. So how did this guy do it? And how are mattresses the topic of a technology newsletter? Well, your burning questions are about to be answered, my friends…

Earl Kluft, a third generation mattress maker, began his career in 1963 with the goal of creating high quality mattresses using the best craftsmanship available. Although his skill set is far removed from the world of computers, information technology and servers, his advice is important to every business owner providing a product or service and every individual who is seeking services from a company or organization. According to Kluft, there are 7 rules you should follow when starting a business, and 4 of those 7 really stuck with me. They are as follows:

1.      Have a passion.
2.      Think of your customers first.
3.      Exceed Expectations.
4.      Get the word out.

These 4 points can apply to anyone and to any organization. If you’re a business owner, you know that passion leads to innovation, creativity and a positive work environment. These are the types of things your organization should be doing to stay at the top of your game, especially in this economy. And if you’re an employee, you need to be sure you’re working for an organization that you respect and in a position that you care about. So whether you’re making mattresses or coming up with cloud computing options, be sure you’re giving it your all. Remember that without passion you will never rise above mediocrity.

In my opinion, customer service is the true differentiator. You can have two identical products for the same price but what makes them unique is the service you receive  when you go to purchase the item or need support. If the product breaks and you have to spend 10 minutes dealing with an automated voice machine, 30 minutes on hold and then pay for return shipping, you’re not going to be happy. In fact, you might even spend more money on the same product just to avoid this hassle! So while you may be in the business of fixing cars or baking cakes, you are always in the business of customer service. If you want to be on top, take care of your customers first.

Some of you may have heard the phrase “going the extra mile” – doing more than the minimum required for the task at hand. Dairy Queen has recently embraced this idea in their latest series of commercials. A suave looking gentleman comes out and says “at Dairy Queen we don’t stop at good enough. We don’t just give you a birthday cake, we give you irresistible fudge and crunch between layers of vanilla and chocolate soft serve. And we don’t just blow bubbles, we blow bubbles with kittens inside of them. Because at Dairy Queen, good isn’t good enough.” We should all take on this mantra. While we can’t give away kittens to everyone, we can take that extra step to exceed expectations, whether it’s staying a few minutes late to get that proposal done, or taking 5 minutes to follow up with a customer to ensure they’ve been taken care of to their level of satisfaction. It only takes 1% more effort to be better than the other guy, so make 101% your minimum effort and you’ll be sure to succeed.

Having a great service or product is one thing, but if you want to be profitable, you’ve got to be sure people know about it. Like the famous “Dizzy” Dean (the Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer) once said, “It ain’t bragging if you can do it”. If you are passionate, innovative, customer service driven, and have a good product or service, you need to shout it from the rooftops! Maybe not brag, necessarily, but some 15 second commercials, a Facebook page and a charity golf tournament sponsorship can certainly help remind people about the great work you’re doing.

The reason this article caught my attention is because, here at Aegis, we work hard every day to meet these 4 goals. All of our technicians take pride in their work. We don’t just hire based on talent, we hire people who have passion and talent- those who will work until the job gets done and then, when it’s over, sit down and say “OK, that was good, but here’s a way we can make it even better next time”. It’s that type of attitude that’s needed to take you to the next level. Kluft’s guidelines should be guidelines for everyone because they can be applied to the business owner and the individual.

So what does a third generation, millionaire, mattress maker and a midsized, midtown, IT company have in common? At first glance, not too much, but when you dig a little deeper, I hope you’ll find there’s a whole lot more in common than meets the eye, my friend. A whole lot more than meets the eye…

The Evolution of Backups

Has your computer or laptop ever crashed? If it has, you probably know the importance of a good backup recovery system. If it hasn’t, mark my words, it’s only a matter of time. I know this from personal experience…

When I was young and naïve, I thought I was invincible. This meant snow skiing without a helmet, riding on the back of boys’ motorcycles, and not backing up my computer. The day my computer crashed and I lost 5,000 songs, 3,000 pictures and my revised thesis that was due in a week was the day I decided to make two major changes in my life: I started listening to my father and I started backing up my computer. So, 500 dollars and a recovered thesis later (my music and pics were never restored), I sat down with my dad and his tech savvy friend and backed up everything I had left on to floppy discs.

Today of course, floppy discs, tape backups and (if you’re a child of the 50s) punch card backups are a thing of the past. They have been replaced with hardware, software and Cloud backup solutions like Datto, MozyPro and IoSafe. But what are these solutions really? And what are backups really capable of – can they resurrect all lost files from the dead, or simply keep your business afloat if a disaster does strike?

The answer: it depends.

Below explains , in layman’s terms, the different options you have to choose from when it comes to backing up your data, starting with the simplest and least expensive option and ending with the most expensive and robust choice.

1.      An NT Backup is the most basic backup option available. Here’s how it works: When you buy a computer, NT Backup comes pre-installed on your server. To perform the backup, you would plug in a standard USB and run the backup so all the data from your computer would be copied and stored on the USB drive. You can recover files from the backup and if your computer crashes, you’ll have all your files on the USB drive. To do this however, you must first reinstall the Operating System (an operating system is what makes your computer operate- Like Windows 7 or XP) and do a full system recovery to get your documents back.

It’s important to be aware, however, that a full recovery may not be entirely successful if the hardware was ever changed at any point. For example, say your computer was purchased in 2002, well, that same hardware is no longer made today, so new hardware, which requires new drivers, must be purchased. The backup will not contain the new drivers, and it will have to be installed in order to get all your old data, settings etc. back.

Another issue to be aware of with this most basic type of backup is that you cannot run a temporary copy of the server in a virtual environment. Virtualization is when you run one system on another (for example, running Windows XP on a Windows 7 machine). Backups that include virtualization generally allow automated copies to be backed up to another location, so, even if your building burns down, your information would be safely stored in another location. With an NT Backup this is not an option.

2.      An IoSafe drive can be used instead of the regular USB drive with an NT Backup for additional protection. An IoSafe drive is a waterproof, fireproof and even gunshot proof USB drive. So, no matter what type if disaster hits your company, your information will be safe inside this “unbreakable” device. Even though the ioSafe is unbreakable, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take additional precautions. It is still important to have another backup that you take offsite in the off chance a hurricane comes in and sweeps away your office with your ioSafe, and all your data, inside the building.

3.      A step up from NTBackup is Symantec System Recovery. This software does allow for the things the NTBackup is lacking; restoration to dissimilar hardware, virtualization (though you will need a server to run the virtual copy on), and automatic duplication of backups for removal offsite (basically you can make a copy of your data and take it to another location so if something happens in one place, you still have a copy in another). Symantec System Recovery also writes to a USB drive like NTbackup, and when combined with an Iosafe and 2 rotatable USB drives, is a very cost effective solution that covers all the bases.

4.      The next level of backups is a Backup Disaster Recovery device or BDR.  BDR’s are a standalone server that backup the other servers to themselves then replicate that data off site to the cloud. This provides 2 levels of protection, an onsite and offsite backup without the hassle of carrying a drive off site regularly. Some BDR’s also offer the additional feature of virtualization. With virtualization, you can actually use the BDR hardware as a server temporarily until new hardware arrives. With a BDR, recovery is extremely easy. The backup image can be loaded directly to any hardware from the BDR, and without the issues the NT Backup has of the hardware changes. Datto is one company that offers a BDR.

5.      Another option you have for backups is a complete cloud option like Mozy or Carbonite. This is where all of your data is stored at a remote location (aka in the cloud). The price depends on how much you decide to store in the cloud. Recovering files with this type is straight forward but a full system recovery requires first reinstalling the Operating System and backup software the entire data set which can take quite some time.

There are pros and cons to all of these choices; so it’s important to analyze you or your company’s specific needs before making a decision. Let’s look at an example:

Say you are a big firm and deal with hundreds of large files, maps and photos every day, and you choose to go with an all cloud based backup. Because of the size of your data, using a cloud backup would become very expensive very quickly because each time you store additional files in the cloud you get charged for it. Also because of the size of the files, it takes a long time to upload them, leaving a gap where the most recently changed files haven’t had time to upload. It might make more sense to have a local backup and then replicate to the cloud. However, if you are a small law firm and need a place to store old client files until the statute of limitations is up, the cloud could be a good option since you can rest easy knowing your files are stored someplace safe in case you need to access them for some reason.

Although backups can seem like a complex and complicated beast to tackle, it’s well worth the effort. Plus, you can always rely on the techs here at Aegis to explain it to you in more detail – give us a call at 850.422.2661.Just remember, if you don’t go skiing without a helmet, and you don’t speed down curvy, wet roads on the back of a Harley, you shouldn’t neglect your computer backups either. Stay safe, stay protected, and keep your computers, and your company, up and running.

Google+... or Google- ?

If you’ve been following the news lately, it’s highly likely that you’ve heard about Google’s latest invention – Google+. Supporters of this most recent development claim it’s a social network that provides a much needed alternative to Facebook, while others declare it’s nothing more than a weak attempt on Google’s part to gain a piece of the pie that shot Mark Zukerberg to stardom (and riches).

No matter what the reason though, it will be important to analyze this new invention to determine what Google+ means for the workplace - for business owners and employees alike. Will Google+ become yet another time waster in what many would claim is already too short a work day, or will this new invention increase productivity in the workplace? According to www.thenextweb.com andwww.readwriteweb.com, Google+ is advertising their newest invention as a mix between Facebook and LinkedIn (a popular business social media platform), but with the well known phrase “never mix business with pleasure” ringing in my ears, it’s hard for me to determine if Google+ is really all that good, or just too good to be true. Unfortunately for all of us that didn’t receive a Google+ invite, we’ll have to sit back and wait, but until then, here’s a list of what features Google+ has in store for their users:

1. Google Circles: Allows you to sort people into groups or “circles”. You can create separate circles for your friends, you workout buddies, your play-date parents, and yes, your business colleagues.

2. Hangouts: Allows you to hold a videoconference with multiple people. You can chat with your Uncle in Hong Kong, your brother in Frankfurt and your Mother in New York all at the same time! Or you could use it to chat with your boss in Prague, and your colleague in Atlanta, all from your office in Tallahassee!

3. Integration Potential: I would assume it will only be a matter of time before you can sync Google+ with your Gmail, Calendar, Contacts etc. A very handy feature for those who have Gmail accounts.

According to Google, their latest invention is set to be open to the Public “soon”, so if you’re awaiting it with as much anticipation as I am, click here to get updates and to take a tour of the Google+ site. It’ll be up to you to determine whether it’ll be better suited for work or play! 

Don't Let Bad Weather Turn Into A Bad Day: How to Protect Your Network During Hurricane Season

As Florida residents, I’m sure you all are familiar with the term “Hurricane Season”. Being from Alaska, this was a phrase that I was completely unfamiliar with when I first moved down here. I decided to leave the frozen North when winter temperatures dropped to -40°F…for an entire month. After 30 days of mind numbing cold, I marched into the kitchen and told my parents that in the Fall I would be going away to college, not to Oregon like my father had thought, but to Florida.

I arrived in the middle of July. “Ahh” I thought to myself, “no more being cooped up in the house for days on end due to unbelievable weather conditions, Florida is the place for me!”

Then August hit. When I say hit, I literally mean hit. There were reporters all over the News screaming, shouting, pleading and announcing that Hurricane Season was finally upon us.

First it was just rain. So I went out and bought a big golf umbrella. Then came the sirens. So I bought earplugs. Finally, one Tuesday afternoon, an emergency broadcast came on over the radio warning us to flee the area. “FLEE THE AREA?!?!” Panicked, I called my father.

“Where have you allowed your firstborn child to venture off to?!? I have to flee the area! Yes… FLEE THE AREA! Is this some sort of sick payback for not choosing Oregon?!”

Of course it was not payback. Although my parents controlled the checkbook, they did not in fact control the weather – this was simply Hurricane Season… in all its glory.

For the entire month of August I sat cooped up due to the abysmal weather conditions, and because of the storms there was no TV, no Internet, and no electricity.

Braving my first hurricane season was not without its upsides however. Besides finally reading Atlas Shrugged in its entirety, I learned the importance of a good Disaster Recovery Plan, and while most of you probably have a plan in place for your home and family, a plan for your business is just as crucial. Below are some issues you should take into consideration when developing a Disaster Recovery Plan for your business:

1.   Invest in Surge Protectors. When lightning strikes, it increases the amount of power that is running through the cables and wires that connect to your equipment. If there is too much power, your equipment will become overloaded and blow up. A Surge Protector monitors the power before it actually goes into your machine, thus preventing equipment failure due to power increases.

2.   Invest in a UPS. No, not the United Parcel Service, but an Uninterrupted Power Supply. This is essentially the exact opposite of a power surge – it’s when the power fails. Many companies have generators that kick in so the lights come on in the event of a power outage; however, to keep your computers and network up running smoothly, you’ll need a UPS to ensure power will always be there, even if the electricity goes out.

3.   Have an Offsite Data Storage Location. The key here is to ensure that it is truly offsite. If you are backing up your data from your workplace to your home, and home isonly 10 or 15 miles away, then you’re not really going to be that protected because, as you know, a hurricane can wreak havoc for hundreds of miles. So it won’t matter how many backups you have if all of them are within the radius of the hurricane!

4.   Ensure Accessibility from a Remote Location. Let’s say you do the right thing and store data at a remote location, but you only can access it from your personal work computer. Well, if the computer gets washed away in a flood, it will take a lot of time and effort to get the security clearances needed to access the data. So be sure that you are not only storing the data remotely, but that you can access it remotely as well.

5.   Keep an Assets Record. This is exactly what it sounds like – a record of your assets. Be sure to include the prices of things like workstations, laptops, printers etc. That way, if your office does get destroyed, you have a list of what was inside to present to the insurance company so you can replace equipment as soon as possible.

By having a Disaster Recovery Plan in place for your business, you are helping ensure the success of your company, regardless of what Mother Nature might have in store for Business Owners in the Sunshine State. So be sure to speak with an Aegis Technician to determine if your organization is ready for Hurricane Season, because no one wants a little bad weather to turn into a disastrous day!