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mobiKEY: a medicine for commute?

Infrastructure Products
on May 7th, 2012 by - No Comments

It looks like a USB key but also includes a smart card for security and encryption during the remote connection OR as one of my Clients said: “this mobiKEY is a medicine for my daily commute.” (*)
The combination of this portable  mobiKEY with the truOFFICE software running in your computer (Host) allow you to work remotely in your computer, like if you were sitting there.

As Route1 defines in their web site (read the complete definition here):
“The Route1 MobiKEY Classic device is an identity validation tool … The MobiKEY device allows users to securely access data remotely … the MobiKEY device ensures that the user leaves no trace or evidence of their computing session … All enterprise files stay within the enterprise firewalls, simplifying security policy enforcement … The MobiKEY device minimizes information security risks by eliminating the need for users to carry a laptop or other mobile devices loaded with enterprise data and applications.”

ps. do not forget your password or the mobiKEY would become damaged after the third attempt.
(*) a couple of “not driving to the office for…” a month, would pay for the cost of this solution.

Remote Access + Local Experience = A Cure for Commute.

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Ubuntu is coming through our Windows

Infrastructure
on April 23rd, 2012 by - 1 Comment

It’s good to have a choice, even better if it’s a better choice. When talking about Software options, looking into Open Source Software (Free) is a must to consider for Business of all sizes.

This April a new version of Ubuntu (12.04 LTS) is about to be available and this new launching (a new release every six months, a LTS – Long Term Support version – every two years, around the clock so far) is raising the same question again:

Is this the right time for my business, to Upgrade from Windows XP to Ubuntu?

There a lot of good reasons (*) around less Money, more features and better performance, however the most compelling in my view is that “in a time of moving our data and processes to a Cloud Computing model, why keep investing in a desktop software like Windows and their applications?”

(*) find more about this migration on this page, below a brief excerpt from this document

“You’ve been putting off the Windows 7 upgrade, and with good reason. It’s eye-wateringly expensive, and that’s without the additional costs of Office 2010 and new high-end hardware. Gartner estimates that…”

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time is SMB biggest expense

Cloud
on April 16th, 2012 by - No Comments

I learned this lesson while talking with Peter (*), one of my clients and owner of a SMB (Small Medium Business) when discussing details about moving his Company to the Cloud, using Google Apps for Business.

Peter said: If this solution save me one (1) hour a week for each of the users, I would be saving five (5) times its cost, without considering the collateral effects on revenue grow and image improvement.

Everyday, we waste time searching and not finding, calling and walking around, registering the same information in different systems. Our business process, even though unique, is broken down into several disconnected procedures and tools.

Considering this scenario, going Cloud is not about just saving, but growing.
It ‘s working better together at anytime, from anywhere, on any device

(*) Peter’s name condenses several of my personal experiences while offering and deploying GAPPS to SMB Owners.

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from Leads to Accounting and everything in between

Cloud Marketing
on April 9th, 2012 by - No Comments

We all have dreamed about a business application that covers our whole business process, specially when we have to enter contacts information in several places and run different and usually isolated applications.

We knew that type of application existed, but they were just for the large enterprises (they even called it ERP, for Enterprise Resource Planning)

Not any more, now thanks to Cloud Computing we can have the opportunity to run our business using an Enterprise-class application at the Small Business type of price.

We use, recommend and resell KPI.com, a Web-based Simple-ERP solution || KPI.com delivers a comprehensive, totally integrated, business support infrastructure: Customer Relationship Management, Project Management, HR, Payroll, eCommerce, Accounting and Reporting. kpi.com ensures that all elements of the business are connected.

Check by yourself or call me to arrange a Free Demo >> Register for a 7 Day Free Trial using our Promotional Code pr022 

 

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Is Google Apps for my Business, a good fit?

Cloud
on April 2nd, 2012 by - No Comments

See how well Google Apps fits with your business / Consider these 10 things before you set your IT strategy for the next 10 years
(information was taken from this Google page for easier and further reference)

Google Apps is designed for teams and built for the web, so everywhere you look you’ll find capabilities that help your employees work better together by leveraging the efficiency, access and economies of the cloud.

Most of Small Business Owners would agree with these ten (10) statements, check by yourself…

I need a productivity solution that’s easy to deploy and doesn’t require the ongoing maintenance of desktop software.

Google Apps runs in the cloud using nothing but the web, so there’s no hardware upgrades, software patches or maintenance required. Because we manage all of the hardware and software in our datacenters, all your employees need is a web browser to communicate and work together in the cloud. In addition, we have a dedicated team of engineers whose sole goal is to help you get your data in and out of our products for free. This makes it easy to both move onto Apps, and leave if you ever change your mind down the road. (more…)

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your computer will fail, break and eventually die

Cloud Marketing
on March 26th, 2012 by - No Comments

Not even the greatest IT guru, nor myself could assure you that your computers will not have problems, however You can manage your IT infrastructure in a way that you and your Business will NOT have computer problems.

It’s more than a tricky word game, it’s a simple 3-step approach for improvement:

1- We have computer problems when we loose time or information due to a software, hardware or network failure.
2- Moving your values out of user computers to a Server and eventually up to the Cloud would avoid loosing information.
3-  Using web based application (Intranet or Cloud) allow you to easily switch to another computer without loosing your valuable time.

Your computer will fail, break and eventually die, BUT you don’t have to… At least, you won’t fail or break because of computer problems.

Good luck!

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gone Google yet?

Cloud Marketing
on March 19th, 2012 by - No Comments

Google Apps for Business is a cost-effective full path to Cloud Computing for SMB (Small Medium Business) looking for a centric, secure and collaborative IT environment.

As Google shows in this page: each day, thousands of companies are going Google by switching to Google Apps – a web-based suite of messaging and collaboration applications. It’s all hosted by Google, and designed with security and reliability in mind, saving your company the frustrations and hassles of managing traditional IT solutions yourself.

We enjoy helping Business Owners and their Employees with the transition to a better IT using Google Apps for Business.

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forget IT, we’ll do IT for you – Server or Cloud?

Cloud Infrastructure
on March 12th, 2012 by - No Comments

It’s more than a word game, what it’s indeed – it’s the wrapping of our proposal: “your IT infrastructure in OneBox: administration, configuration, updates, backup: forget IT, instead of making IT easier for you, we’ll do IT for you”.
Inspired and driven by two main concepts behind this project “Simplifying through Integration” and “Avoiding the Problems”

It’s the whole idea of combining and getting the best out of the two approaches for IT improvement and remediation: Proactive Plus Reactive.

Now, we offer this unique approach in two flavours, focused both on Security, Integration and Collaboration

  1. On premise Sever: All in OneBox solution featuring a Linux Small Business Server.
  2. In the Cloud: working together, anytime, anywhere, any device, using Google Apps for Business.

As a Small Business Owner, it’s time to move your IT values out of the employee desktops

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what is Cloud Computing? (1)

Cloud Marketing
on March 5th, 2012 by - No Comments

Without replacing neither translating an official definition (*), here is my view on what is Cloud Computing at least for Small Businesses:

“Working together in a centric, secure and collaborative environment, from anywhere, anytime and any device”

Or even shorter as a Client said after finishing the installation of Google Apps for Business in his Company:

“We are NOW working together, as a TEAM”

(1)  We will keep writing about this very same question from different points of view and approaches.

(*) for an official version check NIST definition of Cloud Computing: they spent a few years and 15 drafts to get it, so don’t feel you are the only one having troubles with the Cloud.

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Linux adoption is growing

Cloud Infrastructure
on February 27th, 2012 by - No Comments

Linux has an important market share (*) but current trends on Big Data, Cloud and Security are an extra boost. As posted in an article from eWeek a recent Linux Foundation survey shows that open-source technology is poised for continued growth among new and existing users for a variety of reasons, including lower total cost of ownership, technical features and security.

The major factors driving Linux adoption grow with higher % of respondents are Big Data, Cloud Computing, Virtualization, Total Cost of Ownership, Features and Security.

Also contributing to Linux adoption are available Talent, No Vendor Lock-in, Openness, Long-term Viability and Choice of Software.

Check the complete article from eWeek for more details.

(*) Linux market shares: Desktop, less than 5% | Mobile devices, more than 40% | Servers, about 80% | TOP500 supercomputers, over 90%

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© theXS: simplifying IT