SMB IT | Curtis Franklin | August 2006

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August 2006

August 25, 2006 | Comments: (0)

If your SMB is about a new technology that's all your own, then patent filing is on your horizon. Unfortunately, for many smaller businesses, that's a real problem as a single filing can run as much as $20K depending on how it's applied. The US Patent Office put some electronic filing guidelines out there a few years back so that smaller organizations could avoid middlemen or lawyers, but for the most part these were so Byzantine as to be all but useless unless you hired a specialist anyway.

Until now. If you've tried electronic filing before and been turned off, take a minute and check it out again. The new USPTO guidelines include support for straight PDF files, there's a bunch of new electronic forms and you also get a filing receipt right away. Worth checking into.

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 25, 2006 08:36 PM

August 24, 2006 | Comments: (0)

More SMB Podcast Treasures

For SMB types hungering for more podcast audio glitz than just my poor Emerging Enterprise efforts, take heart. Seems the Small Business Administration has gotten into the game, too, with their podcast page.

Topics are definitely geared towards the small business person, however, not the medium-sized company. Right now you can find topics there on deciding whether entrepeneurship is right for you, looking into small business training networks and deciding which business is a good fit for you. Check it out.

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 24, 2006 07:27 PM

August 22, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Cool Article: The Future of Cell Phones

Just in case you're a road warrior extrodinaire, I just read a cool article on what the future holds for us in the cell phone department. Don't often plug another mag's work, but BusinessWeek did a great job on this one. Good description of where cell phone makers are heading and the best places to get an early glimpse.

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 22, 2006 10:27 PM

August 21, 2006 | Comments: (0)

MS Small Biz Server R2 Recall

This shouldn't affect most end users because the OEM versions of Small Business Server 2003 R2 only went out in July. Means the software shouldn't have reached too many (if any) end users as yet. But in case you got your hands on it somehow and were thinking of upgrading...don't.

According to VARBusiness, Microsoft issued a recall of the upgrade after a routine audit discovered significant portions of the code were "non-final". Redmond says it plans to finish the non-final code, swap it for the crappy stuff and re-issue R2 later--no word yet on specifically what 'later' means.

But hey, they could have just let the crap go out the door and fixed it after we all started having problems. Better this way in my opinion.

(via Slashdot)

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 21, 2006 11:10 AM

August 21, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Emerging Enterprise: Compliance Today and Instant Messaging Worries

This time we get into whether compliance has any tangible impact on SMBs today and what to do about it. Then we talk about the biggest threat to SMBs next to email and MySpace: Instant Messaging. Listen!

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 21, 2006 07:15 AM

August 17, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Novell SUSE Linux Enteprise Desktop 10: Check It Out

Got to give it to those Novell folks: They aren't giving up. These guys want to give Microsoft a kick in the lower regions when it comes to the corporate desktop, they've chosen Linux to do it, and they're not going to quit until they succeed.

I thought they were well on their way with version 9, but version 10 of their SUSE-based desktop product is definitely a step up. Haven't been playing with this long, but it's definitely worth a look for the SMB set--especially if you're not sure about Vista and its associated costs just yet.

First thing, it's still easy to install. They've added an AutoYAST feature that may or may not have been there before (hey, my memory sucks) but it's designed to let you roll this out to multiple desktops pretty easily.

It's also got all the graphic bells and whistles you want (as long as your vid card is pretty quick), including the ability to alt-tab between applications and tile apps, too:

and even a 3D rendering view designed to take some of the eye-envy out of what Microsoft is promising with Vista:

Again, just be sure your video card does 3D at an acceptable clip and that it's also on Novell's approved hardware list--hey, why take chances?

Novell has also updated the bundled applications with version 10. You get a desktop search tool, called Beagle and a Novell-only version of OpenOffice that not only supports all Microsoft file formats it also has support for Visual Basic for Application macros. That's pretty darn cool.

They've updated Evolution with a cool new look and new ways to manage and view email--pretty nice actually. And they gave it easy compatibility with Active Directory and Exchange. I had it talking to the SBS server I've got here after only a few Advil moments.

Downside? Not much in terms of basic functionality. You get all the OS things users want, the authentication and network tools that admins want and enough Microsoft compatibility that most basic SMB workers can get easily get by with this.

Only thing you don't seem to get--unless I screwed up my install--is CrossOver. I seem to remember this being part of the older SUSE app list, but it's not here now. So you can't simply offer users OpenOffice but promise them native Microsoft apps as a backup. This is OpenOffice only from what I can tell.

I've only just installed the thing, so I'll keep digging into it, but for now I'm impressed. Installation was actually shorter than XP and just as easy. Booting takes a bit, but after that, you're in a GUI environment that most any experienced Windows user should be able to navigate with relatively little trouble.

The OpenOffice, Firefox browser and Evolution clients are smooth and polished enough that I'd be surprised to get cranky user complaints.

And it's a money saver. Not just because the software is cheaper, but because you can roll it out on machines that are considered robust for XP. Those same machines will need to be upgraded or replaced to make Vista happy, but they run all of SUSE 10's bells and whistles just fine.

I'd think twice before offering this to serious Windows power users or folks dependent on loads of Win-only applications, but for basic office productivity workers this may be my favorite new platform.

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 17, 2006 09:32 PM

August 16, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Private Rules for Private Data

Turns out the government isn't the only force trying to regulate the retention of consumer data. There's some private concerns weighing in as well.

Chief among these is Visa, a company that's probably tired of the threat of lawsuits from irate credit card holders who suddenly find they owe some department store in a different state $30K for a 52-inch platinum HD TV.

So Visa has published some guidelines, called the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (or PCI for short). Even more impressive, they've attached a penalty for those Visa merchants that don't comply -- up to $500K depending on who you are and what you're selling. Unfortunately, even with this butt-paddling in the background, it's estimated that only 25% of Visa merchants are at present compliant--this a year after PCI was introduced.

Fortunately, Visa isn't dismissing the measure. They're just being methodical in tracking down violators. So if your SMB is everywhere it wants to be, but hasn't yet thought about PCI, be aware they'll get you sooner or later. So you might as well consider the measure, especially since it isn't that difficult to comply.

And to help with that, the folks at StillSecure and Coalfire have put together this white paper. It touts how their products put you 90% of the way there to PCI compliance, but it also breaks down the 12 basic things you need to consider, so it's worth a read in any case.

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 16, 2006 10:44 AM

August 11, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Emerging Enterprise: Net Docs and Hires

Why is hiring an IT staffer different for an SMB than a bigger enterprise? Listen and find out along with how to manage the process. After that we talk about why you want a network documentation book and the first steps to take in building one. Listen!

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 11, 2006 02:02 PM

August 09, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Review: Solid UltraPortable from Gateway

Gateway just keeps sending me cool stuff. I've just finished a month of using the company's ultra-portable E-100M notebook. Similar to my review of the M255-E, this ultra-portable does a good job of covering the basics at a nice price.

Ultras are known for using slightly slower CPUs due to power and cooling issues, and the E-100M is no exception. This one uses a low-voltage Core Solo CPU running at 1.2GHz--that's as quick as it gets in this form factor. Our test system had a 80GB disk and 504MB of RAM as well, but you can opt for as high as 100GB (5400rpm). The RAM front has changed. We got one of the last systems with 512MB of RAM installed. As of now, you can only get the E-100M with 1GB of RAM in there; no more no less.

Graphics is surprisingly robust. Though it relies on an integrated Intel graphics sub-system, that still let's it support up to 1280-by-1024 resolution; and it does so on a 12.1-inch screen that can do wide-screen format for video.

Because it's an ultra, the optical is a separate unit that connects via USB and doesn't need its own power supply. Speeking of that, the E-100M has a light power brick, but it's a little annoying in two ways. First, it requires a three-prong outlet--I thought those were finally a thing of the past. Second, its connector comes undone pretty easily--but not entirely, so you think it's plugged in until you look down on the system tray and see the battery icon. A minor ding but it cought me several times.

Overall, a highly usable configuration for something that weighs about 4 pounds. Gateway also shipped an extended life battery. This ups system weight a bit (though it's definitely still a featherweight), but gave me an average battery life of around 4-5 hours depending on what I was doing.

Overall, this was a very nice road warrior system. I used it mainly as a desktop replacement, covering email, Web updates, all kinds of office tasks and even light photo editing. Everything runs with more than acceptable response times, so the 1.2GHz Core Solo really isn't a problem.

I wouldn't try to rip DVDs or play games on the E-100M, but for about $1600, this is a great way to release back strain while running through airports without taking any measurable loss in day-to-day work response.

Gateway E-100M (NX100X)
Gateway
Price: $1,625 (base) $1,889.96 (as tested)
Verdict: A solid ultra-portable that held up well during a month-long sojourn as my desktop replacement. Day-to-day performance was fine for office tasks, battery life with the long life power cell was great and it definitely feels ligher in the briefcase.

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 9, 2006 02:04 PM

August 03, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Sharp's Broadband Fax

Yeah, I know that for many small businesses, getting rid of the old office fax machine is akin to cutting the umbilical to an unborn fetus. Too horrorific to imagine. But gird thy loins gentle pilgrim, and get used to the idea, because standard phone line faxes are on their way out.

A step on this path of evolutionary inevitability is the Sharp UX-B800SE. Yeah, it's still got the capabilities of a standard fax machine so you can stop your frightened heart from fluttering. But it's also got an Ethernet port.

That little RJ-45 allows the UX-B800SE to shed the weight of its fax origins and numeric model name and enter the digital world, sending PDFs and TIFF (one or two sided) images via scanning technology to email addresses or fax numbers.

Think of the UX-B800SE as training wheels for folks who just haven't figured out how much better email attachments are.

(via Engadget)

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 3, 2006 11:29 AM

August 02, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Off-Site Backup for SMBs

Off-site backup is a great guard against disaster recovery. Nothing protects your data when your office building gets melted by an alien death ray like not having your data in the office building. But usually, setting up an off-site backup, managing the wide area connection and interpreting the reports all required some new IT smarts on-staff. And the service wasn't cheap, either.

But cheap storage seems to have evolved into cheaper storage services, like DataPreserve. This company does off-site backup to a high-end data center (followed by yet another backup from there to yet another high-end data center) for total data redundacy...and it's priced for small businesses.

Additionally, the company is operating on a franchise basis. Hiring reps in specific locations and training them so you've got an in-area representative for questions, service and warm I'm-not-a-number fuzzy wuzzy feeling.

I haven't tested the service yet, but with storage being fairly standard on the data center side, your biggest variable here is likely to be your WAN connection. In the New York area, we're seeing problems lately even with dedicated T1 lines and DSL lines have turned into a regular crapshoot.

Oh, and DataPreserve is by no means the only off-site data backup company out there with an SMB-style service plan. Also check out:

BitLeap
Iron Mountain
US Data Trust
Intronis Technologies

And yes, there are a number of others, but I don't have time to list everyone. Shoot me.

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 2, 2006 01:43 PM

August 01, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Don't Just Dump Old PCs: Donate

You can call it any number of things: "equipment lifecycle", "asset turnover" or even just "Hey, get rid of the crappy old thing already." But the upshot is the same, clearing desk and rack space of old equipment to make room for sparkling new hardware.

There are several ways to handle this. A popular one is to lease equipment instead of purchasing it outright. End of lease rolls around and you simply roll over the old equipment for new stuff. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for all types of equipment or even all kinds of business situations.

So there are still plenty of SMBs who purchase hardware outright -- and that hardware eventually gets old and needs to be moved on out. Fortunately, there are more places to put that old stuff besides the dumpster out back. Key among these is donation. Not only do you get the fuzzy good samaritan feeling, you can also get a tax write-off. Here's some basic steps to giving your hardware away.

1. Don't bother with the really old stuff. The equipment you're donating is going to schools, non-profits and similar organizations. These folks still need to use this stuff to do real work in the real world. So if you've got a closet full of Pentium 66s, go ahead and ask the org you'd like to donate to if they're interested, but don't be offended if they're not. Besides, even if they did take them, they wouldn't be worth more than $20-$40 each as a tax write-off.

To make the donation process as good for you as for your chosen donatee, time your product cycles accordingly. Stick to equipment that's around three to five years old (tops), plan your new product purchases accordingly and make sure that the tax value is understood by both parties.

2. Speaking of that, don't just donate equipment and wait for a receipt. Send along an inventory of what you're donating, indicate current value, make sure you get back a copy of that inventory with some signature showing that the receiver agreed with your assessment, and then get a donation receipt on top of that. Never hurts to be careful or cover your booty, especially if you're donating a lot of stuff.

3. Clean your equipment. Yeah, I'm talking about wiping it down and dusting the interior; but I'm also talking about being very careful to clean your data. Wiping hard disks of all donated servers should be a careful process with more than one set of hands making sure each disk gets wiped clean. But don't stop merely with hard disks. Make sure to set everything back to defaults. Just think how much information can be contained in a network switch, for example, should it fall into the hands of someone looking to hack in later. Checklist:
a. Clean equipment. Use handy wipes & compressed air. No need to hand off dirty stuff.
b. Wipe all hard disks. Don't just hit . A low-level format is probably enough, but you can also use wiping utilities like WipeDrive, Disk Redactor or Acronis Drive Cleanser. There are any number of other similar applications.
c. Set all other equipment back to factory defaults. Most switches, routers, modems and similar products have provisions to return the box's settings to factory defaults. Way better than leaving user names, passwords and IP addressing schemes exposed.
d. Remove attached devices. Not just big stuff like printers, but smaller things you might miss: PC Cards, memory sticks, SD Cards, etc. If the device needs those to work, make sure propreitary data is wiped off.

4. Make sure everything's working. Don't donate broken equipment unless both you and the receiver know that the equipment is defective. Gets you a bad rep fast.

5. Look for local donation points first. Donating good stuff doesn't just give you a tax break. It also creates good will. No point squandering that on an outfit that's located in the distant land of Mordor. Expecially when there are so many equally deserving local organizations. In the new York Area, a quick Web search came up with New York Cares and Big Brother Big Sister New York. And that's not counting my local contacts which include friends and relatives who work for public schools, state universities, and the local Red Cross chapter.

6. If these local options don't work for you, then go national. Some popular choices include:

Digital Aid
Share The Technology
TechSoup
Youth For Technology

Posted by Oliver Rist on August 1, 2006 10:58 AM

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