Grundig Consulting

.

Windows Small Business Server has existed in some form since the 1990s, though it has undergone several name changes since then.  The current version, Windows Small Business Server 2008, consists of Windows Server, Microsoft Exchange Server (for email), Internet Information Server (web server), and Windows SharePoint Services (for collaboration).  The Premium Edition allows for running SQL Server (database server) on a separate server.

The main attraction of running Small Business Server in a small business network environment (up to 75 workstations) is that storage of files, email and database data is centralized.  Access to data can be limited or granted for each user as fits the business.  Instead of having multiple versions of files and folders scattered throughout the workstations on a network, they can all be stored in single place and permission to access them can be granted and changed on an as-needed basis.

Management of the server, network and workstations by someone onsite or by an outside consultant is centralized and monitoring capability is built-in.

Businesses that stand to gain the most from an investment in Windows Small Business Server have between 3 and 15 workstations and have a peer-to-peer network environment with no centralization (and often a fair amount of network chaos).

Several advantages of Small Business Server:

Remote Access

Remote access (from anywhere with Internet and a web browser) to the server, workstations and email is made possible through the Remote Web Workplace.  Administrators have access to the entire network, while individual users are granted access to their workstations and email.

Centralized Email, Calendar Sharing and Contact Sharing

With Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook email clients, easy sharing of access to mailboxes, contacts and calendars is easily configured.  This permits, among other arrangements, an assistant to access and update calendar and contact entries for his or her boss.  Company contacts and calendars can be stored and shared separately from individual contact databases and calendars.

Centralized Backup (and faster, easier data restore)

With all valuable data stored in a single location, centralized backup is much easier to configure, run, and monitor, whether to an external drive onsite or by an offsite backup service or a combination of the two.

Ease of Management

As mentioned above, network administrators are able to monitor the health of the network, perform user administration and control the application of updates and patches to Windows on the server and workstations and to other applications from a single console on the server.  All management can be performed remotely as easily as if someone were onsite.

Improved Productivity

All of the above features often lead to greatly improved productivity for managers and employees within a business and for the business as a whole.

Questions?

Windows Small Business Server 2008 may deserve your consideration. Feel free to ask me about the experiences I have had with Small Business Server in different environments with companies from various industries.

5 things to watch for (or continue to watch) in 2010.

Microsoft Office 2010

The next version of the popular Microsoft Office Suite will be released in June 2010.  A free public beta version of MS Office 2010 is available now for download (I am using it today).  Office Web Apps, the online component of Microsoft Office will include online versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Prediction: Acceptance of Office 2010 upon its release will be better than that of Office 2007, primarily because the interface (the ribbon bar) is similar and because a number of new features are being introduced which should enhance productivity.

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter really hit the mainstream during the last year.  I’ve noticed that more people are using using their Facebook pages as their homepage.  The main attraction of these sites continues to be the ease with which one communicate with and can keep track of many friends, acquaintances and business associates in one place.

Predition: Facebook will continue to see the most growth, not only in absolute user numbers but also the time that people spend on the site itself.  Facebook is also the most open of the platforms, so expect new applications to be integrated with Facebook this year that will increase its value.

WordPress

Blogging will continue to become more popular and accessible to a wider range of people

WordPress, the widely-used blogging platform, is simple and full-featured, all while offering an array of templates and plugins to alter its look and feel and extend its use.  Full-featured websites are now being built using the  WordPress platform, at little cost, and maintained people with little prior web experience.

Prediction: Tom’s Computer Service and Grundig Consulting will rollout a simple, reasonably-priced WordPress package, targeted at the business owners. This package will be designed to get people started with creating and maintaining their own blog, and will include:

1) Assistance registering a domain
2) Help setting up a hosting account with WordPress capability
3) Assistance with the initial WordPress ‘5-minute’ setup
4) Important WordPress concepts
5) A tutorial on adding pages and posts to the blog and editing individual pages.
6) More . . .

Other concepts, such as customizing WordPress blogs using themes and adding plugins for additional functionality, will be introduced.

Google Adwords and other Online Advertising platforms (Bing, Yahoo!, Facebook)

Online advertising will continue to take market share from traditional media such as newspapers and magazines because it is more targeted, effective and budget is entirely controllable.

- Google is the current king of online search advertising, but Craigslist.org is also worthy of mention as the 7th most popular website in the world and because it’s virtually free. (40% of my new clients come from either Google paid search (AdWords) or Craigslist.  The rest are referrals).  For a wealth of FREE information regarding Google AdWords and business marketing and business strategy, visit PerryMarshall.com.

Prediction 1: More smart small businesses will advertise using online, targeting their ads towards a specific audience and adjusting their budget and ads frequently.

Prediction 2: Facebook will command a larger share of the online advertising market, Bing adCenter will gain share, Yahoo! share will decline and Google Share (%) will decline slightly but remain king, and overall online advertising revenue will rise for each of the above.  Image-based advertising become more popular.

Cloud Computing, Virtualization and Browser Competion

- Cloud Computing, Virtualization and Browser advancements deserve much attention, as this is where all the action is in business computing today and for the foreseeable future.  Businesses are becoming much more flexible and are reducing their energy costs through the proper application of these technologies.

Prediction: I will address virtualization, cloud computing and Browser advancements in the upcoming months.

What are your predictions for 2010?  What have I left out.  Am I wrong with some of the above predictions?  Why or why not?  Join the discussion at www.GrundigConsulting.com.

Widnows 7

I am thankful for Windows 7. The successor to Windows Vista, and Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 7 was officially released on October 22nd, 2009.  It’s faster, easier to use and has better built-in backup than Windows Vista, among other new features.  Windows 7 is my first choice for most business and residential computer systems that will be installed going forward.  The Pro version is 100% compatible with Windows XP software and devices.

Blackberry, iPhone and Google Android

I am thankful for Blackberry, iPhone and Google Android, the most popular smartphone operating systems, that continue to advance forward at a blistering pace.  The iPhone was a instant hit and continues to have the most applications available for download.  Blackberry continues to release great new products and is considered by many to be the most reliable smartphone when used in conjunction with Verizon service.  Android is being utilitzed on new smartphones from HTC and Motorola and features an interface which is similar in look and feel to the iPhone.

Current Computer Hardware

I am thankful for the computer hardware available today, both servers and workstations,  which is extremely fast when compared to that of even a couple of years ago.  Intel dual-core and quad-core processors are installed on almost all new systems and enable much faster performance, even for today’s demanding applications and operating systems.

The Macintosh OS X Operating System
I am thankful for Mac OS X, which has been around for several years and is improving with each release and gaining in popularity.   Macintoshes, for the most part, are entirely interoperable with Windows-based PC in an networked environment.  Macs are ease to use and are especially popular in the education market, among graphics designers and musicians.   Notably missing from the Mac software lineup are full-featured versions of several business applications, including Quickbooks, although it is possible to dual-boot a Macintosh systems to run a Windows operating systems.

Web-based Applications Accessible Through the Browser

I am thankful for web-based applications accessible through the browser.  Subscribing to popular applications which are offered online, such as the Constant Contact application used to create and manage my newsletter, is inexpensive, effective and frees you from having to install software on your workstation, having to worry about backup and is accessible from any browser.

My Clients

I am thankful for my clients, without whom the Grundig Consulting and Tom’s Computer Service would not be possible, successful and growing each year.  I strive to treat my clients like family and I hope that this always shows, whether I am offering advice, trying to keep your network running properly, recovering inaccessible data or anything thing else to help you operate and feel at ease in your environment.

What are you thankful for and what do you wish for over the next month and in 2010?

–  Tom

Most of the time, what you have is more important that what you don’t have.   This applies, at least, when we are talking about our computer systems.  Don’t understand?  Well, read on.

All the things on and connected to your computer system (hardware, external devices,  software, data, network(s), Internet connection, etc.)  are really important.  So, in this case, what you HAVE is more important than what you DON’T HAVE.

You may not realize this until your hard drive crashes, your computer is lost or stolen, you save over an earlier version of a really important document, or you or someone else deletes it.  In these instances however, the situation will be reversed.  What you DON’T HAVE is suddenly much more important than what you have.

The solution:  Good, scheduled backup: Backup to a flash drive, backup to a service in the Internet, backup to an external hard drive or backup in the form or redundancy on a RAID 1 or RAID 5 volume (most often only seen on servers, not workstations).

Take advantage of the many free or inexpensive backup solutions that are available today and make sure that WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE (YOUR LOST DATA) is never more important than what you have.

In all these cases, other than the lost or stolen computer, there is an excellent chance that a vendor specializing in data recovery, such as Grundig Consulting, can retrieve some or all of your lost data.  The most important thing is not to panic.  Make the phone call before making things worse by attempting to use your computer once you realize that data has been lost.  Additional activity on your workstation will make it harder to recover the files that you are looking for.

Although you may not hear about it every day, cloud-based computing is being mentioned more often in the news these days.  Why? Cloud-based computing it is becoming more of a reality with each day that passes.

However, what is Cloud Computing?   The best way to think of cloud computing is to imagine doing something that you would normally do on your PC or laptop without having the to use all of the hardware and software in the PC.  All the computation takes place somewhere else while your PC and browser are just used as an access device.

- For instance, last time I talked about Google Docs, a service from Google which allows you to create and share information documents in an environment similiar to Microsoft Office, but without having to buy any software.  All it takes is a web browser and an Internet Connection.

- Another example is the online backup service which I frequently recommend, Mozy.  Mozy installs a small peice of software on your PC, but the rest of the action takes place in the “Cloud”.  This is where your files are securely backed up, somewhere on the Internet in a secure data center..

- Now, services from Amazon.com (the S3 Simple Storage Service and EC2 Elastic Computing Cloud) and other providers are allowing you to access storage, computing power and other resources without having to own them.   Think of it as renting computing power and capacity on a pay-as-you-go basis.  This is similar to buying electricity from the electric utility or paying for water from the local municipal district.

Even though you may not realize it, you are probably already using some services which could be though of as Cloud Computing.

In the future, it appears that all the most people will really need is a netbook or smartphone with internet access to be able to perform common computing tasks.

For a more detailed introduction to Cloud Computing, look here or here.

What do you think? I Cloud Computing here or does it still have a ways to go?

For the last year, I have been using Google Docs as a replacement for Microsoft Office applications whenever possible.

What is it? Google Docs is a free set of online productivity applications from Google, including a Word Processor, Spreadsheet and Presentation Program.

What are some advantages of Google Docs? Google Docs can be accessed from any computer with a web browser and Internet access.  Simply login to your free account and begin creating documents, spreadsheets or presentations.  Documents can be saved at any time and accessedd from any computer with Internet Access.

Can Google Docs be used exclusively as a complete replacement for Microsoft Office? If you use Microsoft Outlook for email access, a switch to Google Docs is possible, but not always easy.  GMAIL, Google’s email program, can be used with the Google account.  However, most Outlook users are really attached to their Outlook inboxes.

What are your experiences with Google Docs?  Try it now if you have not used it yet.

You will probably pay more attention this year to your selection of a smartphone than to buying a computer.

The personal computer has been around since the early 1980s.  The original Macintosh followed shortly thereafter, in 1984.  Computers as we know them are over 25 years old.

Smartphones, on the other hand, such as the Blackberry from Research in Motion and the iPhone from Apple, are relative newcomers on the scene.  Today’s smartphones are packed with more computing power than the original computer models mentioned above.   They do many of the same things as any of today’s computers, such as accessing the internet, enabling easy communication by email and SMS (text message) and standard mobile phone capability.

What really sets then new smartphone devices apart from the PC and Mac worlds, though, is the pace of innovation in the smartphone area.  While the Blackberry defined the smarphone for several years, iPhone, a relative newcomer, has captured that imagination of many.  More importantly, Apple has released a programming toolset which enables and individuals or compans to create iPhone applications and sell them at the iPhone App Store.  Blackberry, and others, have followed suit.  Thousands of applications have been created and millions downloaded.

Why does this matter to you? IPhone and Blackberry development will continue at a feverish pace, allowing you to access more of the world from the device in your hand.  You may even find yourself using your computer a bit less as a result.

What’s the best way to decide which device to purchase?  Ask someone who has one! Do they like it?  What are the positives?  Any drawbacks? I currently have a Blackberry 8830, but am considering switching to an iPhone at some point in the near future, mainly because of the interface and applications available.

Please comment on your experience with Blackberry devices, iPhones or other smarphones.

There has  been a lot of attention paid to the potentially damaging capabilities of the Conficker worm, which has been circulating on the Internet for several months now, but which was set to markedly increase this month with new attacks.   Whether on not you have been affected, the attention to this virus / worm does raise some good points regarding protection of your PCs in general.

1. Install a good antivirus program which automatically updates itself with the latest definitions.  Check periodically to see that it is functioning normally.

2. Make sure that automatic updates is enabled if you have a Windows operating system.  The Windows vulnerability that is targeted by Conficker is addressed through automatic updates.  Many other fixes are regularly repaired through the automatic update mechanism.

3. Use anti-malware / anti-spyware such as Malwarebytes

4. Run the Malwarebytes every other week - do the full scan

5. Don’t browse Porn or Casino sites.  A lot of junk comes from these areas, as well as from illegal file sharing platforms.

6. Consider getting a Mac for security reasons, but remain aware that Macs can be attacked, also.

Any other suggestions?

If you are a business owner, you probably have very busy periods, when it seems almost impossible to get anything done followed by very slow periods when you are wondering how to fill the day.

The busy periods are tremendous fun can be challenging as well.  The main problem with being super-busy all the time is that we only have the time and energy to focus on the immediate task at hand, whether this is the current job, the next job or the next day.  In effect, we are working “in the business” but are neglecting it at the same time!

Usually, when coming out of these busy periods, we are suddenly faced with time aplenty and not so much inclination about what to do with this time.  We are also forced to look for new work or business to keep us or our companies busy again.  We now have the time to focus exclusively on getting more work or we can choose to devote some time to ‘working on the business.’

Lately, I’ve been reading again in “The E-Myth Revisited“, by Michael Gerber, an excellent book which offers many proven ideas for taking a small business to the next level.   I’m working to incorporate some of the thinking and methods offered this book which will help my business not only now, but in the long run.  It’s a very good read and I highly recommend this book to any business owner.

How do you react when business is slower than normal.  More sales?   More marketing?  More networking?  Bigger changes to your business?

Free anti-virus from AVG has been upgraded to version 8.5. Version 8.5 is very similar in look and feel to version 8.0. I only recommend upgrading to the latest version for those who are still running AVG 7.5. Several important features are included with version 8.5 which are also in version 8.0, such as anti-virus, anti-spyware and link scanner.

For those of you looking for the best anti-spyware, Malwarebytes is still the best., although running Spybot and Adaware are also recommended.