by Chas Arnold, Partner and Executive Vice President

The promise of simple, reliable, and feature-rich unified communications phone systems has been made for what seems like decades. The fact is, big companies with big IT departments and big budgets have seen some of these promises fulfilled. But, for the vast majority of businesses, advanced business communications have always been out of reach. Until now.

Every business needs an affordable communications solution that provides a competitive edge. Now, the solution is in reach for small and midsize businesses, and even better, can help your business save on costs and increase productivity.

Affordable
The latest VoIP systems start at only $300 for unlimited users and extensions, and allow you to use existing phones and headsets in combination with advanced features in a software based solution. Some platforms even provide a hosted solution, so no servers are needed on site, meaning no new hardware purchases.

Easy to Use
The lastest unified communications systems are working with the small business in mind keeping the system easy to deploy, use, and manage. You can easily administer your system without the need for expensive IT specialists and third-party consultants. Plus, with integrated desktop interfaces for users, calls are easily transferred or sent to voicemail, while advanced features like chat or click to email allow employees to connect the first time.

Reliable
Advanced communications companies understand that the SMB cannot experience downtime. For this reason, the systems now include around the clock monitoring so you can enjoy worry-free reliability 24/7. When you can count on your phone system, your customers can count on you.

Work from Anywhere
With unified communication, employees can take home a desk phone, use a softphone on their laptop, or forward calls to a mobile phone. What’s more, branch offices can be linked so that satellite offices are treated a one. And, with personal desktop interfaces, employees will be able to interact as if they’re just a cubical away.

Unified communications system lets employees get access to the right people, forward calls to cell phones, provide savings for telecommuters, increase revenues, and respond quickly to calls from customers that are likely to call someone else. It improves productivity and is able to give employees a better work-life balance, all at an affordable price.

June 28, 2010, Atlanta, GA—DynaSis, a managed IT services company, has expanded the capabilities of its email archiving service. Email archiving is a service that allows businesses to save email records and offload messages from the mail server, freeing space for optimal performance. The new archiving service includes an easy to use online interface for searching messages based on keywords or phrases, both within messages and attachments.

The web-based interface is easily accessible by all users with the same credentials they use on the office network. The expanded search features include not only searching for keywords, but offers the ability to search keyword stems. For example, a search for the work “run” would deliver results for “run” as well as “ran” or “running.” In addition keywords or phrases can be searched within attachments like Microsoft Office files, or PDF files.

DynaSis Vice President of Web Services and Data Centers, Andy Dunlop commented, “An email archiving service is of little value if you can’t find what you are looking for. With the new email archiving search interface, businesses can rest assured when they search for a particular message, it can easily be retrieved.”

DynaSis email archiving offers clients a scalable archiving solution that relieves storage demands from email servers, offers a host of disaster recovery features and acts as powerful search & retrieval engine for your archived email data.

About DynaSis
DynaSis is a managed IT service provider servicing small and medium sized businesses in the Atlanta area since 1992. DynaSis specializes in managed IT service plans, managed hosting and professional equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis visit www.dynasis.com

by David Moorman, President

So as an IT pro, you might be asking, “What does my job look like as the technology industry and my company move toward managed services?" “Why would we use a managed IT company if the internal IT pro can handle it?” In the same way you may hire a maid to clean your home, or a gardener to landscape your lawn, you may hire an IT expert to handle basic chores for your business. The maid and the gardner afford you more time to dedicate to activities that are of higher value to you. Just like tasks around the home, technology tasks can also be broken down into those that offer you value and those that don’t. Those technologies that offer you value are said to have competitive advantage.

A technology that offers a competitive advantage is one that offers a higher value to the company, and helps outperform the competition. Technologies such as capacity planning and forecasting, customer relationship management, data mining, and enterprise resource planning are some of those technologies that can give a company an edge over what the other guy down the street is doing. They provide additional intelligence that allows the business to operate smarter and more efficient.

Those technologies that do not offer a competitive advantage include email, network monitoring, spam and virus protection. These technologies have become par for the course in today’s business climate. Today, all companies are expected to have a website, with an easy to use contact form and email. Their systems are expected to be up and working around the clock with no downtime. Using internal resources to maintain these technologies takes away from time that could be spent developing advanced technologies and processes that can further the company in the long run.

So to answer the questions above, IT pros should focus their time and skills on developing advanced technologies that offer the company additional benefits over the competition. A managed services company can then be leveraged to perform routine maintenance and basic services for the company, the “housekeeping” if you will, while the internal IT pro is free to further develop advanced skills. Their value to the company will be equal to the competitive advantages they can bring to the table, and in turn IT pros can secure their jobs. So instead of fearing the possibility of a managed services company, IT pros have the opportunity to further secure their place in the company by offering value that will far outweigh the cost of a managed IT provider.

by Andrew Dunlop, VP of Web Services

Over the past few years, email has become an integral part of the business
workflow. As you well know email inboxes can easily get out of control. Space on the mail server is at a premium and saving emails only to a local machine risks lost data, and deleting historic messages isn’t an option. Email archiving is an easy solution to store all your historic emails.
A ‘true’ email archiving system automatically extracts message contents and attachments from incoming/outgoing emails and after indexing, it stores them in read-only format. This ensures that archived records are maintained in their original state.

Important items to include in any email archive shopping list should include:

Scalability: storage should be easy to increase as the business grows

Relieving storage demands: An archiving solution should relieve the storage demands on the main mail server, leaving it free to process incoming and outgoing mail.

Powerful search & retrieval: Basic and advanced searching of the archive, reducing the time to locate emails.

Disaster recovery features: Mirroring and auto-replication of emails providing disaster recovery for email data.

Ease of Use: An email archiving solution should be easy for all users to use.

Installation and support: The solution you choose should be relatively simple to install and should provide support when you need it.

With costs for email recovery from traditional backups rising considerably, email archiving products can assist with reducing administration costs associated with managing email storage. Using the above “must have” list will help you pick a solution that is right for your company.

The DynaSis Cryoserver product has been developed with many years of email archive knowledge and experience to offer a proven, reliable quality email archiving product that is designed to be installed in minutes and reliably protect your email forever. Contact DynaSis to learn more about email archiving. 770.882.2432

May 26, 2010, Atlanta, GA-- With the recent increase in spam over the past six months, DynaSis has taken action to enhance the performance of SpamSniper, it's Spam and Virus firewall technology. DynaSis is proud to announce a significant investment in added redundancy and scalability that will augment the spam protection clients already receive.

The economics behind spam dictate that 2010 will be another active year for spammers according to www.net-security.org. The distribution of spam emails is set to continue as long as distribution channels remain relatively cheap, botnets continue to be active and shift locations, and spammers develop new and innovative ways to attempt to bypass anti-spam filtering.

DynaSis is constantly working to advance its powerful solutions with increased reliability, performance, and redundancy. As spammers’ techniques evolve, DynaSis is working on its clients’ behalf to add layers of increased security to combat the war on spam.

Andy Dunlop, Vice President of Web Services, for DynaSis commented, “Spam is constantly changing as spammers get more creative with their tactics. Our job at DynaSis is to stay one step ahead of them. With this new addition to SpamSniper, we hope to significantly reduce the amount of spam that is getting into client inboxes and increase the productivity of their businesses.”

DynaSis will continue to monitor the progress of the improvements to SpamSniper and will make clients aware of any additional updates. For more information on the enhancements to your SpamSniper service, please contact Andy Dunlop at andy.dunlop@dynasis.com.

About DynaSis
DynaSis is a managed IT service provider servicing small and medium sized businesses in the Atlanta area since 1992. DynaSis specializes in managed IT service plans, managed hosting and professional equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis visit www.dynasis.com

by Chas Arnold, VP Sales and Marketing

What business risks do you have? Reducing a significant amount of business risk can be as simple as implementing the right IT practices. Security, downtime, and data loss are among the biggest concerns for companies when considering their liabilities, but a well built infrastructure with solid procedures in place can help mitigate those concerns. Security A hole in your network security is cause for huge concern considering the many mutations of spam, viruses, spyware, and even internal attacks from disgruntled employees. Your IT network should be protected on both the server and client side of your network, meaning you need enterprise level firewalls, anti-spam packages, and anti-virus software both on servers and employee computers to make sure your network is protected. Physical access to server room equipment should also be guarded, and a detailed security policy should be published for all employees to follow. Downtime Downtime in a company is not often calculated as a hard risk, but the impact of losing productivity can cost your company thousands if not hundreds of thousands in lost revenue. Avoiding downtime means having constant monitoring in place to know when a server is being overloaded or other resources are over capacity. Processes must be in place to make sure the IT network is stable, and levels of redundancy should be implemented so failover is automatic. Proactivity and planning is the key to minimizing downtime and decreasing lost productivity and revenue. Data Loss Companies that lose all their business data have a very small chance of surviving without a reliable means of restoring data. Avoiding data loss starts with a reliable backup system. Data should be backed up regularly and stored at a secure offsite location. Instead of relying on an employee to change tape drives, backups should be disc based and happen automatically to minimize human error. The same goes for email archiving, as it is the most common form of communication and is often used as evidence in legal proceedings. If reducing risk is important to your business, examining your IT liabilities should be your top priority. DynaSis provides managed security, guaranteed uptime, proactive monitoring, and reliable backup systems. Contact DynaSis today to learn more at 770.882.2432

by David Moorman, President DynaSis

Just as a company as a whole grows to maturity, so does its IT capability. The more mature an IT department is, the more integral IT becomes as a business advantage. IT maturity is measured in different stages according to the Gartner Model of IT Maturity. Let's take a look at the different levels which the Gartner model of IT maturity breaks down to create a better understanding of where a company's IT departments are at.

Chaotic (Level 0)

This is the lowest category that IT function can fall under. Under this category, IT is basically non-existent, and is used on an as-needed basis. The company itself is more concerned about their turnaround time for their products and the resources that go into their overall product.
IT functioning is not valued, nor is it given the resources that the department needs to carry on everyday activities that keep the company solvent. If the IT department is called upon, it usually is due to something that is end-user related. If one of the users calls and has a problem, then (and only then) is IT called upon to remedy the situation. Otherwise, the business would probably not have any IT personnel on staff because they are viewed as too big of a business expenditure. Usually at level 0, the company is not functioning at maximum capacity and therefore, they are not recognizing as much profit as they possibly could be.

Reactive (Level 1)

At the "reactive" level, IT is only slightly more valued than they were at Level 0. The IT infrastructure is monitored but problems are not addresses in a timely fashion. A basic ticketing systes is in place but most of IT’s time is taken up end-user issues. Problems are mainly addressed on-site instead of using remote management tools that save on costs. This level still puts the IT department at a relatively low level within the company, as their main objective is to "react" to situations occurring within the company.

Proactive (Level 2)

Unlike Level 1, Level 2 has IT much more involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. Monitoring the network is a primary focus and issues can be addressed remotely through advanced management software. Processes are defined and staff work on incorporating quality control principles into the company's technological presence. They are also working closely to set up programs to assess the amount of risk the company's assets are currently under. By weaving these ideas into the technology of the business, the IT department is allowing the company to become more efficient through the use of a checks-and-balances system within their company's technological intranet.

Managed (Level 3)

Level 3 is finally where a company's Return on Investment (ROI) really begins to recognize the benefits of having a competent IT department who is involved with every aspect of the company from the lowest department all the way to corporate officers of the company. IT is allowed to function freely, which affords them the opportunity to setup programs, databases, etc. that are necessary for the company to run smoothly.
Unlike the lower levels, company's that are incorporating their IT functioning at this level are certainly reaping the financial benefits that a well-oiled IT department can help to recognize.

Utility (Level 4)

This is the level where you probably find most highly profitable companies who have enjoyed long-term success with great products, phenomenal customer service, and the best turnaround times in their industry. Something all three of these business aspects have in common is that they are centrally controlled by a competent IT department who has instituted the correct monitoring systems, databases, and security measures to allow the company to operate at its full capacity. Advanced technologies such as virtualization are implemented and processes are automated. This level will also find the IT department incorporated at every level of the business, and the residual income that results from their involvement puts these companies amongst the top firms in their trade.

A quick ROI analysis will give you a good idea of just how healthy your IT functioning is within your company. By estimating just how much your IT department means to the well-being of your company, you can begin to recognize room for improvement. Doing a short exercise in company evaluation, like ROI analysis, is certain to improve not only your IT functioning but also your business as a whole. Contact DynaSis at 770.882.2432 for more information on an ROI analysis of your business.

April 20, 2010, Atlanta, GA-- DynaSis, a managed IT services company, announced today a new on-premise IT support plan for the small to medium sized business called Digital Veins Essentials. The new support plan is ideal for businesses that have invested in an IT infrastructure but need other essentials such as Hosted Exchange email, web hosting, and basic support.

Digital Veins Essentials allows a small business to focus on their core strengths while experts at DynaSis maintain day-to-day IT tasks. The plan is a scaled down version of Digital Veins Partner, a more inclusive IT support plan for larger businesses. Digital Veins Essentials was created for small businesses with 5-30 employees and includes four hours monthly of help desk and on-site support, 24x7 monitoring, basic web hosting, data backup monitoring, Hosted Exchange email, email filtering (spam & virus), patches and updates, IT reporting, and security management. Essentials clients will also receive a Service Delivery Manager that acts as a strategic advisor for the businesses future IT plans.

Chas Arnold, Executive Vice President of DynaSis commented, “Many small businesses are struggling with maintaining their day-to-day IT functions and are bogged down with patches and updates, viruses, and other security threats. They may not be sure how their IT can help their business grow and succeed in the future. With DynaSis Essentials, we have given them a package deal at an affordable price that will help save on costs in the long run. They get what they need so they can get their head above water and start focusing on more strategic decisions.”

While large companies have access to multiple IT professionals on-staff, small businesses are struggling to address IT proactively. With Digital Veins Essentials, small businesses can now gain access to the same tools afforded to larger companies at a competitive price.
For more information regarding DynaSis service plans, visit www.dynasis.com or call 770.882.2432.

About DynaSis
DynaSis is a managed IT service provider servicing small and medium sized businesses in the Atlanta area since 1992. DynaSis specializes in managed IT service plans, managed hosting and professional equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis visit www.dynasis.com

by Chas Arnold, VP Sales and Marketing

With recession still upon us, it may be tempting to cut back on technologies that don’t produce an easy to define ROI or a low ROI. Ironically, investing in the right technologies can actually help your business save money. New technologies like virtualization are changing the way data is stored and optimizing physical machines, while technologies like Software as a Service and thin client computing are realizing their full potential in the SMB space.

Virtualization
Virtualization lets you run multiple virtual servers or desktops on a single physical machine (host), sharing the resources of that single computer across multiple environments. Virtualization works by inserting a thin layer of software directly on the computer hardware or host and then loading multiple versions of the operating systems on top of it. Multiple operating systems run concurrently on a single physical computer and share hardware resources with each other. You can safely run several operating systems and applications at the same time on a single computer, with each having access to the resources it needs when it needs them. With virtualization, less space is need for physical machines, energy costs are reduced, and management is simplified.

Software as a Service
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a method in which software is no longer installed locally, but offered as a monthly subscription through an online web portal. For the set monthly fee, users receive all-inclusive access including automatic updates of software versions and patches with no maintenance to perform. In addition, SaaS allows easy tracking of employee licenses. No longer will you have to worry about which machine your software is installed on, SaaS delivers software in a web-based form available anywhere there is an Internet connection and often on any device—increasing employee productivity with its anytime anywhere access. Additionally, SaaS offers incredible scalability. When a new license is needed, it is no longer necessary to take time installing pieces of software locally. Instead, a new user account is created on the providers server and access is almost immediate. Similarly, if licenses are no longer needed, your monthly fee is reduced to reflect the actual number of employees using the software.

Thin Clients
A thin client provides exactly what employees need without the bells and whistles. While fat client PC’s offer extras like photo management and video editing, the typical office worker only needs a few applications, Internet access, and email to operate productively throughout the day, making a thin client a good choice. What is a thin client? It a stripped down version of a personal computer, sometimes called a smart terminal. Thin clients access the server for computing power where it is consolidated in one place for easy control, stricter security and less maintenance. An added benefit-- thin clients can often process faster than a PC that stores information and applications locally, decreasing the time employees wait for a machine to start in the morning or open a new application. The typical thin client can save a company hundreds to thousands of dollars when compared to a traditional PC. Another plus, thin clients vary in degree with some offering more features than others, so businesses can match their needs accordingly.

Technology will not be a drain on your business if you invest in the correct tools that are right for your business. A skilled advisor can be the key to planning your business success in more difficult times. Contact DynaSis today for IT Strategy consulting and managed IT service plans that can help your business maximize the value of its IT.

Atlanta, GA March 23, 2010—DynaSis Integrated Systems the leading IT and communication solutions provider for businesses in the greater Atlanta area, today announced its partnership with Panterra Networks, the leading provider of cloud-based unified communications Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).. DynaSis adds PanTerra’s WorldSmart to their growing list of managed communication and IT offerings.

WorldSmart provides unified communication services including unlimited digital voice, video and fax, instant message, mobile text and email all with presence through a single user and administrative interface. PanTerra’s WorldSmart solution is delivered from the cloud through a 100% browser-based UC client, eliminating computer based applications and reduces on-site overhead and costs.
DynaSis proud to expand their SaaS based offerings. PanTerra will be added toDynaSis’s existing cloud technology offerings called ITility by DynaSis. ITility by DynaSis offers small to midsize businesses completely hosted IT solution delivering all their IT infrastructure and support over a secure Internet connection from the DynaSis datacenter.

DynaSis President David Moorman commented, “The Panterra Networks hosted VoIP solution truly complements our existing cloud based offerings. Now SMBs can have all their IT and communication needs provided by local experts without the hassle of maintenance or expensive equipment. Our goal is to change the way companies do business by letting them focus on their core offerings and leveraging IT as a competitive advantage.”

About DynaSis
DynaSis is a managed IT service provider servicing small and medium sized businesses in the Atlanta area since 1992. DynaSis specializes in managed IT service plans, managed hosting and professional equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis visit www.dynasis.com

About PanTerra Networks
PanTerra Networks is the industry’s leading provider of cloud-based unified communications Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for small and medium sized enterprises. WorldSmart 4.0 is the industry’s first 100% cloud-deployed UC platform with the industry’s first 100% browser-based client experience, providing unified communication for voice, fax, chat, and email with presence, for a variety of business applications including call centers, multisite, remote employees, high touch operations, and fast growing companies. WorldSmart 4,0 also includes web collaboration for online meetings, desktop sharing and remote desktop access with a single administration and user interface. WorldSmart tightly integrates with other business SaaS applications like Salesforce creating additional value. PanTerra's WorldSmart 4.0 solution ensures FutureProof CommunicationsTM with infinite scaling, lifetime support and automatic updates for subscribers.