by Dave Moorman

Given the state of the economy in the past few years, many small and medium businesses (SMBs) have taken a “wait and see” approach to IT spending. While this attitude is understandable, it positions companies to become reactive rather than proactive.

The reality of IT is that things break; they fail; they become outdated. Companies that don’t have a solid IT plan to address at least the core replacement cycle risk lowering productivity and/or making unplanned IT expenditures that do not fit into their overall strategic business goals. Beyond basic needs, companies also need a strategic vision for using IT, not simply to enable their business (or worse, just prop it up), but rather to drive its future success.

If your company has a strategic IT vision and is implementing it, then I congratulate you. If not, I urge you to allocate time, early in 2014, for IT assessments and planning. Commit—right now—not to spend another unplanned dime on technology.

Whether you are a business owner or an IT executive, take concrete steps to make this happen. First, ask company personnel to submit a list of IT equipment and tools they think would invigorate their productivity in 2014. Ask them to persuade you with a compelling explanation of why they need these enhancements and how they can benefit the company’s success.

Then, sit down with executive management and other IT staff or your services provider and consider such important issues as:

• Business processes (how can IT better help you do what you do)
• Content management (how can IT improve the way you store, access and share documents and knowledge in your company)
• Infrastructure requirements (what is the IT foundation on which the business runs and how does it need to evolve over time)
• Security (what IT changes will enable you to better protect and defend the business and its intellectual assets from theft, damage or loss from inside or outside forces)
• Workflow requirements (how can IT tie everything together so that work moves smoothly from one process to the next with appropriate oversight and management)

Armed with this information and other insights you will gain along the way, you and your associates can develop an IT plan and budget. Only then should you consider the 2014 purchase cycle.

For companies that have not previously developed and implemented a strategic IT plan, this can be a tall order, but it’s a crucial one. At DynaSis, we strongly urge our customers not to embark on any IT program without an up-to-date IT plan. If a firm is uncertain how to implement its plan without blowing the budget, we ask them to pinpoint the most important of three core benefits (reduce costs; minimize risk; increase productivity) IT can provide and to focus on plan items that will accomplish that goal, first.

For companies that don’t have a plan and don’t know where to start, we provide numerous assessment tools and techniques that can help them develop a plan and make these decisions. If you would like us to help you assess and plan your IT future give us a shout!

[featured_image]By the DynaSis Team

I read an interesting article in Forbes online recently, about “the death of the office.” In it, contributor Jeanne Meister postulated about what the office of the future will look like. One comment struck me as especially worthy of further consideration:

“As work becomes more flexible and communication more mobile, the office is turning into an increasingly complex and even abstract concept. As we look to the future, we have to ask: Will the workplace be on-site at our employer’s property, or on-demand at a collaborative space? Or will work simply be a mindset independent of place or time of day?”

That last concept―work as a mindset that has no bearing on place or time of day, is a notion that seems increasingly likely. Already numerous studies report that the newest generation of workers, the Millennials, does not want to be tied to a specific place or time to work. (DynaSis is putting the final touches on a white paper about these workers. To request a copy when it’s ready, fill out our inquiry form, putting “Millennials White Paper” in the comments section.)

Realistically, who among us doesn’t like the idea of being freed from the constraints of time and space that a physical office places upon us? Certainly, there are people who crave the social nature of an office environment, and team collaboration and brainstorming on some projects seems to work best when the group works together physically, rather than virtually.

However, for at least some of our office tasks, having the freedom to do them whenever and wherever is highly beneficial for both employer and employee. And that, many experts predict, is what the office is becoming―a place where cloud and mobile technologies enable workers to perform some, if not all, of their work, wherever they are and whenever it suits them.

Think about it: for corporations, the savings in energy and office space alone could be substantial. In the area of employee health and productivity, the “insomnia” that plagues so many people might disappear. Workers who lie awake at night, worrying about a project, could instead get up and work on it until they were tired, and then go back to bed. This would be possible because they could also sleep late, rather than getting out of bed, groggy, to be in the office by 8 or 9am.

In 2011, Live Science published an article that postulates waking during the night for a few hours before returning to sleep (called biphasic sleeping) is natural behavior for humans. The anywhere, anytime office would enable employees to embrace this behavioral predisposition rather than fight it.

When we view the “Mobile Office” in this context, it’s evident that it’s about more than mobility. It’s about achieving functional flexibility that not only drives productivity for businesses, but also helps employees mold their jobs to suit their preferences―and possibly their innate natures. It’s about providing easy, non-technical solutions that are secure, seamless and always available, no matter where workers need them.

We’ve been testing some new technologies here at DynaSis, and we’ll be telling you more about them, soon. We’re calling our initiative Modern Office, and we think you’ll love it. Stay tuned…

[featured_image]Microsoft hailed Windows 8 as “a modern computing experience for businesses that helps professionals stay connected to their colleagues and clients from anywhere, anytime.” This is a realistic assessment, but in making Windows 8 more compatible and workable on mobile devices, Microsoft did away with some features Windows users loved (the Start button, for one).

With the release of Windows 8.1 in October 2013, Microsoft brought the Start button back and made other tweaks that will increase the comfort level for users of earlier versions of Windows. It rolled numerous other enhancements into the release, which qualifies as more than an update, in our opinion.

Windows 8.1 has garnered some good reviews—and it represents the future of Windows computing for desktop and mobile users. Here’s a taste of some business-related features you can expect in the release. For more details on the user experience of the operating system, visit http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/features#personalize=startscreen. If you want to dig more deeply into the “under the covers” features, start here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dn140266.aspx.

Mobile Device Management
Enrolled devices are connected to the Windows Intune management service, which provides users with a consistent experience for access to applications and data and enables them to manage their own devices.

NFC Tap-to-pair Printing
Users can tap their Windows 8.1 devices against an NFC-enabled printer (any printer with an NFC tag attached) and print. Wi-Fi printing is just as easy. No more hunting for printers on a network.

Remote Business Data Removal
Companies now have more control over corporate content, which can be marked as corporate, encrypted and then wiped when the relationship between the corporation and the user ends.

Improved Biometrics
All versions of Windows 8.1 include end-to-end biometric capabilities that enable authenticating with a biometric identity anywhere within Windows (Windows sign-in, remote access, User Account Control, etc.).

[featured_image]By the DynaSis Team

Earlier this year, we offered some information and advice on malware and cyber-attacks, but the news surrounding these threats has become so concerning that an update is in order. Recently, a new Trojan horse named CryptoLocker surfaced. (A Trojan horse is malware that masquerades as beneficial.) CryptoLocker is especially crafty―it disguises itself as a legitimate attachment and then, when activated, it encrypts file types―such as Word documents and Auto Cad files―stored on your computer systems’ drives.

CryptoLocker stores the decryption keys for these files on its own servers, and infected users see a message that offers to decrypt the data and return access to it for a fee (usually around $300). It also warns message recipients that it will delete the key if a certain deadline passes. In November, a group assumed to be the perpetrators launched an online site that purports to unlock CryptoLocker-encrypted files after the deadline passes for 10 Bitcoin (more than $2000) per file.

For the encryption, CryptoLocker uses 2048-bit RSA public-key cryptography, which is virtually impossible to break. Removing the program is not difficult, but it does not afford companies access to their files, which remain encrypted. So, firms are faced with two choices unless they have a recent backup―pay the ransom or lose the file. Of course, no one wants to pay criminals ransom, but the alternative may be loss of important corporate data.

CryptoLocker usually spreads through a zipped (compressed) attachment to a seemingly safe email message (often appearing to originate from a legitimate company). Given that it only targets Microsoft Windows PCs, it presents a significant threat to U.S. companies, the majority of whom run Windows computers.

DynaSis is launching a new anti-malware service that will defend companies against CryptoLocker and other insidious threats. We are also following up on a new report, just released, that indicates many recent cyber-attacks may be shared development and logistics operations masterminded by broad consortiums of cyber-criminals.

If this is true, it increases the likelihood of attacks becoming even more frequent, ferocious and difficult to block. We will report on this issue in the next few weeks. In the meantime, to learn how we can protect you against these threats, give us a call.

DynaSis, Atlanta’s premier provider of IT services and support for small and medium businesses (SMBs), today announced that ENT of Georgia has hired it to provide 24/7 systems management and support for nearly two dozen locations. The metro-Atlanta-based practice of otolaryngology specialists selected DynaSis for its comprehensive approach and round-the-clock protection.

"We were previously using an individual IT professional, but as our IT requirements expanded in order to meet the mandates of HIPAA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act], we realized we needed more attention," said ENT of Georgia COO Debbie Olmos. "I wanted someone with deep IT experience and 24/7 access that understood the healthcare environment—the need to keep us up and running, provide remote support and ensure we had the security features needed to comply with HIPAA regulations."

For ENT of GA, DynaSis has implemented 24/7 systems management and proactive troubleshooting of 21 off-premise servers, as well as support-desk assistance for more than 125 end users and more than 200 devices across 18 Atlanta-area sites. DynaSis also provides support for remote staff including triage nurses and surgery schedulers and assists with support and complex upgrades for the company's medical software platform.

"DynaSis has a long track record of adapting well to most any vertical specialty," said DynaSis President Dave Moorman. "Our deep expertise with IT systems and networks, paired with our experience working with industry-specific software vendors, gives us the breadth of competency ENT of GA needed for its efforts."

About ENT of GA
ENT of GA is a comprehensive otolaryngology group of specialists dedicated to providing a full spectrum of high quality ENT care to all who seek its services. The established group of otolaryngologists has been serving the metro Atlanta area for the past 20 years.  ENT of GA’s physicians treat patients from infancy to adulthood and have medical staff privileges at major area hospitals and health systems. ENT of Georgia is a group of highly trained, board-certified otolaryngologists, who use the latest treatments and technologies to ensure the highest quality of care for patients of all ages. For more information, visit www.entofga.com.

About DynaSis
DynaSis is a managed IT service provider for small and medium-sized businesses in Atlanta, Georgia. Whether you are looking for Backup, Continuity & Recovery, Cloud Services, Network & Server Management, Outsourced IT Support, or Managed Security, DynaSis is your trusted partner.  For more information visit www.dynasis.com.

[featured_image]By DynaSis

With the release of Windows 8.1, which tweaked Windows 8—and addressed some user complaints about the excessively "mobile-style" interface—many companies may be wondering if it is time for an upgrade. After all, Windows 8 gives uses a near seamless experience from the desktop to mobile devices, and Microsoft touts it as the most productive and stable user operating system, ever.  (For more about Windows 8 features, read this month's newsletter.)

Whether or not that's enough reason to upgrade depends on which version of Windows your company is running. Support for the hugely popular, widely deployed Windows XP ends in April 2014. Despite rumored pleas from corporate users to give it a softer landing, Microsoft will likely stick with that date, or something close. As a result, Windows XP usage is plummeting—from nearly 40% of businesses and users in July 2013 to 31% in October 2013 (per statistics firm NetMarketShare).

The end of support means more than not being able to pay Microsoft for phone assistance. After Windows XP's official "end of life" date on April 8, 2014, Microsoft will stop providing patches and security updates. Patches are crucial to system security, and be assured that hackers follow how many Windows XP machines are still in operation. After that time, they will likely start targeting them aggressively—and successfully. To avoid extreme exposure to malware and other nasties, companies should upgrade to a current version of Windows. (There is no sense in moving to Windows Vista or any other version of Windows before 7.)

Windows 7 has the largest Microsoft OS install base (near 50%, per NetMarketShare) among Windows users. However, Windows 8 is gaining ground, quickly—it has a nearly 10% install base within the first year, which puts it on a trajectory close to that of Windows XP when it debuted.

More importantly, Microsoft has made Windows 8 very affordable to all companies running any version of Windows, enacting no pricing "penalty" for upgrading, no matter how old the version of Windows it is replacing. It is keeping this approach with Windows 8.1, which will cost $119.99 per user for companies running Windows XP, Vista or 7; $199.99 for the Pro version.

Best of all, Microsoft is offering full-version software at these bargain prices. In other words, the purchase conveys a license for Windows 8.1 on any machine, previously running any operating system (OS). Each OS install is completely fresh, so there will be no upgrade "glitches" to work through. (All data stays intact; but existing software must be reinstalled.)

Of course, you may need hardware and possibly software upgrades, depending on the age of your equipment and applications. Nevertheless, the situation is only going to get worse, and companies that start the process now can budget and plan for avoiding danger before April 2014 rolls around.

With Windows XP support ending—and the OS already being a target of hackers for its less-than-robust security—we strongly recommend all our customers move to Windows 8.1. It's a bit different from what you are used to, but you'll be able to stick with it longer than you can Windows 7. If you don't upgrade, you won't perish, but you will be left standing in the cold, with you and your IT provider unable to fully protect your systems from the attacks that will ensue.

To discuss the upgrade process or start creating your plan, give us a call.

[featured_image]By DynaSis

Earlier this month, I talked about unplanned downtime in the context of disaster recovery and business continuity. That discussion got me thinking about the cost of the incidental downtime―the little inconveniences that impact some businesses on a regular basis. Things like employees not being able to log into the company’s network because the firm’s IT guy forgot to update everyone with new passwords on the first of the month. Or, even the tiny amounts of downtime that result when you work with a reliable (but not best practices) data hosting service.

This incidental―and incremental―downtime can really add up. Take, for example, the variations in “high availability” among Internet and data center providers. How much difference can there be between 99% uptime (industry average) and 99.99% uptime (what DynaSis delivers)? As it turns out, the difference can be substantial.

Let’s assume you have 50 employees that rely on their computers at the workplace each day. Let’s also assume your burdened hourly rate (pay plus benefits) is the national average ($29.11 per hour, per the U.S. Department of Labor; yours might be much higher). 50 times $29.11 equals $1455.50. That is your cost, per hour, of having your computing systems and/or network unavailable for an hour.

Now, let’s extrapolate that cost in terms of a network/systems provider’s availability over one year. If your provider promises 99% availability (uptime), over one year you could expect your systems to be down for 88 hours―365 x 24 x 1%. If your provider promises 99.99% availability, over the course of a year you could expect your systems to be down for .88 hours―365 x 24 x .01%. That’s a big difference.

Multiply that figure by the average burdened hourly rate we established earlier to get your downtime risk, in terms of wasted employee resource, and the comparison becomes even starker. With 99% uptime, your downtime risk is $128,084 per year. With the 99.99% availability provider, it’s $1,280.84.

Of course, these downtime figures include “down hours” in the calculations―periods when the office is closed and no one is using your systems. If you calculate the figure using eight hours per day rather than 24, the numbers drop substantially.

However, unless you work with a 24/7 managed IT systems provider, there will be no one in the office to note the downtime when it occurs. Depending on the nature of the event, it might interrupt backup operations, necessitate server reboots, and cause other disruptions that will result in unplanned downtime the next morning.

Furthermore, if your company relies heavily on technology―if you offer 24-hour e-commerce or service; for example, the cost of downtime escalates considerably. (When Amazon.com went dark for 30 minutes in August, it lost more than $66,000 per minute.) Furthermore, these calculations don’t account for lost business or reputation, which can occur frighteningly quickly in today’s “instant gratification” marketplace.

Finally, these figures are for availability of the data center and its network delivery mechanism, and do not include downtime from problems within your internal systems, like incorrectly configured network settings or server crashes. Take those into account, and unless you have a trusted rapid-response team, downtime can be a lot greater.

So, here’s a thought. If you currently work with a network provider or data host that isn’t delivering 99.99% uptime, or you have been disappointed by an IT consultant or in-house resource that cannot trace and resolve downtime problems quickly, give me a call. We’ll show you the “up” side to implementing round-the-clock systems monitoring and support.

By DynaSis

In my last few mobile productivity articles, I’ve talked about specific challenges and solutions. This time, we’ll look at mobile productivity from a strategic perspective. Few people still dispute that workplace mobility is both valuable and inevitable for firms that wish to remain competitive. Analysts Frost and Sullivan announced―in 2010―that enterprises were the new catalyst behind the growth of mobile.

However, embracing the concept of mobility is different from implementing a comprehensive mobile strategy. Many companies―especially small and medium businesses (SMBs)―simply avoid the issue altogether. They either operate in near or total lock-down mode (with some employees adopting or expanding the mobile office without management’s consent) or they throw up their hands and treat mobility―and especially BYOD (bring your own device)―like a child that’s run amok. They try to keep it in their sights and bear the expense and fall-out of whatever damage it does.

To end this impasse, companies need a clear mobile strategy, thoughtfully developed and equitably implemented and governed. With such a plan enacted, SMBs can move beyond the distraction of BYOD and other challenges and focus on the real goal of mobility―to drive better business outcomes.

So, what are the pillars of a mobile strategy? They’re surprisingly similar to those we recommend for business IT strategies, overall.

Opportunity Development and Analysis: The first issue you should consider (although it may be the last you finally resolve) is what you hope to gain from a mobile program. What level of risk can you tolerate in order to achieve those goals? How will you quantify the effort and measure its success? What mechanisms will you use to adjust your strategy if it is not successful, and how often will you make adjustments?

Governance: With an idea of what you want to accomplish, you can begin to set the framework for achieving your targets. Governance helps you codify such pivotal concerns as who handles administration and management of the effort, how you will comply with regulatory requirements, if any, and whether (and how) individual department managers can authorize activities, define specialized operating parameters, create department-specific apps, etc.

Platform: Will you standardize on a single mobile device operating system (OS) such as iOS or Android, or do you want workers to have true BYOD flexibility? Supporting multiple-OS devices (and even multiple device types under the same OS) increases management complexity but enhances worker satisfaction.

User Experience: What do you want the user to be able to DO with their mobile devices when operating within the company’s framework? Does your choice of device management platform support users’ expectations? If vendors or customers will be able to access your mobile resources, do you want their experience to be branded?

Security: What data in your organization absolutely cannot end up on user devices, and how will you secure it? How will you secure the information that users CAN access from mobile devices, and how will you handle lost/stolen devices?

At what level will you support BYOD (if at all)? If personal devices will be allowed, will IT want permission to wipe the data if the device is compromised or the worker leaves the firm? How will you handle security training and what will your policy be for workers who break the rules?

As you can see, there are a number of important issues to consider when planning your mobile strategy, and the examples I have given do not cover every aspect of the challenge. Many of these issues may seem unrelated to productivity, when in fact they are essential. If management and workers are operating without a clear strategy and related policies in place, neither companies nor their employees know what to expect from mobile working. That uncertainty will stifle enthusiasm and productivity growth, hamper adoption, and cause staff to be uncomfortable with the entire effort. To learn how DynaSis can help you develop a mobile strategy that works for your firm, give me a call.

By DynaSis

I was perusing the Internet recently when I saw a pop-up ad for an IT services firm that offered both cloud storage and managed cloud storage. Essentially, this company rents its clients raw space on cloud servers for a very low fee, but if a client wants any help getting its data to the servers, or managing it for optimal efficiency and access, there is an additional cost―and a pretty hefty one, too.

For large enterprises with a team of in-house IT experts, I can see the appeal of utilizing the “storage only” option. Why pay for third-party cloud management when you have staff that can load your files to the cloud, manage the security and continuity of connections and access mechanisms, and otherwise keep the cloud functioning?

The problem for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is that they usually don’t have the expertise to perform these tasks. They buy some of the cheap cloud storage, realize they are out of their depth, technically, and end up spending big bucks for minimal assistance creating and managing their cloud environments.

Companies that plan their move to the cloud and thoroughly explore their options can avoid such unnecessary, tacked-on expenses. Many competent IT providers―and not just bulk cloud storage vendors―host managed cloud servers and include IT assistance as part of an economically priced package. For even more ROI, they often can bundle them with other services that help secure a company’s on-site network and IT resources, as well.

Furthermore, there are now solutions that can turn a company’s local (in-house) servers into cloud servers quickly, inexpensively and with very stringent security. DynaSis recently developed one of these solutions, DynaSis BLUE, for its customers. A tiny software agent, installed on an in-house server, enables authorized individuals to access company-designated files, folders and applications securely over an Internet connection. The agent consumes minimal space and system resources on the server itself.

This is just one example of the many ways companies are going to the cloud without blowing their budgets on unexpected, tacked-on expenses. Our Cloud Readiness Assessment can help you evaluate whether your company is ready for the cloud and determine which model might suit you best.

To learn more, give me a call.

By DynaSis

Anyone using a computer has heard the warnings about malware and viruses—and probably other, inscrutable names like "Trojan" and "spyware." What are these threats, and does each require a separate defense strategy?

The term "Malware" covers all of types of malicious software, including viruses, Trojans and spyware. If a program is harmful in nature—whether it captures information on your operations (spyware), masquerades as a helpful program but delivers a destructive payload (a Trojan) or corrupts your hard drive (usually a virus)—it is malware.

Researchers have created different names for the various types of malware because they work through different mechanisms and/or cause different problems. However, all are intended to be harmful and can potentially disrupt or destroy your business.

More important than these distinctions, for businesses and their users, is to consider that malware (and especially insidious spyware) is exploding at a nearly inconceivable rate. The AV-TEST laboratory—a recognized malware testing lab—records approximately 5 million new malicious programs every month.

To reduce their odds of becoming victims, companies—especially those that allow workers to use Android devices (where malware and spyware are rampant)—must enact a stringent defense against all malware—from spyware to viruses and everything in between. The good news is that a single, well-designed solution will protect against the great majority of malware threats, including the ones mentioned above.

DynaSis has always offered its customers protection against malware, and we are upgrading our protection package to make it even more vigilant regarding malware and spyware. Stay tuned for more information!