January 2011 Newsletter
More Snow! So?
Winter storms shouldn't cause lost
productivity.
Another snow storm! Should you risk the drive to the office? Or
can you tackle the work as easily (and efficiently) from home? You
can with remote access and hosted solutions from CONNECT.
Stay Secure
Security is the number one concern when enabling remote access
to corporate data and applications. Simply enabling a password
protected remote desktop is little more than a lock on a door
- and we all know locks only keep out honest people.
Taking home electronic copies of work is also fraught with
danger. If the data leaves un-encrypted, there is risk; if more
than one person needs to work on the same data, version control can
be a problem - and then returning the data and managing the merge
leaves plenty of room for error and hassles. So properly
establishing secure remote access is not as "simple" as one might
think. But getting your business established with proper remote
access systems can be a boon to your company productivity - and
keep your workforce safer by keeping them off the roads in
dangerous conditions.
New Technologies to Use
We recommend providing remote desktop access and direct access
via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) with a secure connection using
SSL. SSL-VPN's and SSL protected connections for remote email
access are considerably less complicated and less expensive to
maintain compared to even a short time ago. Several vendors, like
SonicWALL, have introduced appliances to handle these connections.
Our professionals can help your company select and implement the
right equipment for your business' needs.
Keep Data in the Office
A more robust corporate solution would be to deploy application
servers using Microsoft Terminal Services. Or, for a richer
end-user experience as well as greater control and easier printing,
a Citrix based application server is a good choice for delivering
applications remotely to users. A very significant advantage to
this approach is that no data ever leaves the corporate office;
there is only the exchange of screen images and keyboard/mouse
clicks between users and servers. Again, secure connections are
used with strong authentication.
Alternatives Abound
Adding a robust remote access platform and building out the
corporate IT infrastructure might not make the most sense for
your business model. In that case, a smart alternative would be to
outsource the entire thing to a professionally run and managed data
center. (Think "to the cloud!") This is particularly effective for
companies with multiple offices, remote workers, or full time
office workers that are occasionally snow-bound! CONNECTAPPS hosting services
provide continuous, secure access to corporate applications and
data without worry - centrally deployed from our data center. We
assume all the responsibility for backup, security and management.
Our generator backup and multiple layers of redundancy means
CONNECTAPPS can provide you complete uptime and total
peace-of-mind. You get "anywhere, anytime" access to your data and
applications.
When the next snow storm hits you can be ready! Call CONNECT for a solution to fit your
needs and budget, and stay focused on the business of your business
- not the rough road conditions! [Top]
Verizon's New iPhone
The hype! The press!
The real story...
What will Verizon's iPhone service mean to you?
Now you can have your iPhone and choose your network, too.
Connecticut is largely Verizon territory, and Verizon's data plans
will likely differ from AT&T's. If you're going to stay loyal
to AT&T, you may start seeing some more competitive offerings
for your iPhone data plan. The Verizon iPhone runs iOS
Version 4.2.5 (AT &T runs iOS
4.2.1, so you get an upgrade with Verizon's offering). With
Verizon you'll probably have improved CDMA technology, and a mobile
hotspot feature allowing up to 5 devices to connect to it and get
internet. 
What's not so great? Not much 4G LTE proliferation and no
simultaneous talk/data capability. So you'll frequently have to
decide - answer the call, or keep surfing?
Because the Verizon iPhone doesn't have a SIM card, you're
wedded to Verizon and whatever CDMA service (or Verizon
international plan) is available abroad.
Upgrades for the iPhone will probably happen at AT&T before
Verizon, so Verizon customers waiting for the iPhone 5 might not
get them till after AT&T customers have already got their hot
hands on the LTE iPhone 5.
At any rate, the takeaway here is now you have a choice if you
have an iPhone or simply just want one! [Top]
Consumer Electronics
Hot trends from the January show
The Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas featured
these top trends:
3-D TVs at Home: Every big
company talked about movies, TV shows and games going 3-D at home.
Panasonic and Samsung showed everything from glasses to 3-D ready
TVs. More than half of the new TV models from LG, Samsung and
Panasonic were 3D capable.
Internet-Connected TVs: We
all want more and more content available…well, everywhere! TV
manufacturers like Samsung, Vizio and Panasonic are putting apps on
TVs. Your television can now be your source to stream YouTube
videos, listen to Pandora, or even catch up via Facebook or
Twitter. Movies stream to TVs via Roku, Boxee Box and Apple TV (for
now….!) - no more DVDs.
More 4G LTE:
AT&T announced its 4G LTE network will be ready in the second
half of this year, and Verizon plans to have its 4G LTE service in
100 markets serving over 175 million people by 2012, with
nationwide coverage by 2014.
Increased Tablet
Competition: There were over 80 tablet models shown at the
CES! One of the hottest: the Motorola Xoom will run Verizon's 4G
LTE service at speeds of 5 - 12 megabits per second for downloads.
It runs the 3.0 Android operating system. Many of the new tablets
shown have Nvidia dual-core Tegra 2 chips for revved up
performance. Tablets, faster chips, Flash, Android 3.0, and 4G LTE
are all multiplying, meaning lots of competition for the iPad. The
new tablets feature touchscreens, swipe controls, content such as
eBooks, and chips from Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and Marvell.
More Mature Androids: The
new Android 3.0 Honeycomb has fixed past problems with user
interface, supports tablets, offers a 3D desktop, and has live
video conferencing. It's a multitasker's dream, and should be out
this quarter.
More Wireless
Networking: Fast wireless networks such as
ultrawideband, WirelessHD, WHDI, and near-field communications are
growing up, too. With Samsung's Central Station, just put your
laptop near your desktop-style dock and it's recognized and
connected! Near-field communications shown at CES are improving.
Broadcom showed new technology that immediately recognizes and
pairs cellphone and headset devices placed near each - way simpler
than pairing by Bluetooth. [Top]
Recycling Reminder
Be Green and Protect Data
Old computers and monitors cannot be thrown away. They contain
hazardous materials that are harmful to the environment and there
are serious fines for the improper disposal. Equally as bad: what
about all that data and personal or corporate financial information
on the hard drives?
We all have paper shredders (or should) for destroying paper
based confidential information. But how do your "shred" a hard
drive? CONNECT can handle all
your IT disposal needs: servers, workstations, laptops, UPS's
(battery backups), monitors and most importantly, we can handle the
shredding of your hard drives. Call CONNECT for a quote to properly
dispose of all your obsolete and unused technology devices - you'll
be very surprised just how affordable it is to be GREEN (and legal)
while protecting your most valuable asset: your data. [Top]
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