SMB IT | Curtis Franklin » January 2008

January 27, 2008 | Comments: (0)

SMB Security: A Harsh Lesson

TAGS: SMB Security

OK, so when you watch this video segment it's going to be obvious that a highly vindictive individual did very bad things, and I'm sure that there will be punishment:

Watch the CNN video

With that said, I was struck by the notion that any individual sitting at a single workstation could erase seven years worth of data. What about backups? What about off-site storage? What about reasonable file-access policies based on job requirements?

Today, even the smallest business can go to an office-supply store and get a USB-attached hard disk for quick backup. If you haven't backed up your critical data files, then make a system backup this week's top priority. Get the drive, back up your files, and then take the drive away from your office. If a disaster strikes your business, then being able to access your files later could make the difference between staying in business or going to work for someone else. Take a clue from the folks in the video -- backup your files today.

Posted by Curt Franklin on January 27, 2008 08:09 PM

January 23, 2008 | Comments: (0)

A New SMB Podcast

TAGS: Podcast

We've got a new SMB IT podcast up, and it's a good one, with an interview covering questions about the value of a security information manager (SIM) for the small business space. It's a paradox, really: small businesses are most likely to need the help that a SIM can provide with event correlation and expert advice, yet many people feel that the SMB network is too small to benefit from a SIM's power. As I talk to SIM vendors, I hear that they're interested in moving "down market", from the large enterprise to the SMB, and I suspect we're going to start seeing more and more products that are aimed at the 200-seat and less network segments.

There's plent more to come, but until then you can listen to the podcast here.

Posted by Curt Franklin on January 23, 2008 10:16 AM

January 03, 2008 | Comments: (0)

A New Year's Podcast

TAGS: Podcast

Welcome to a new year of SMB IT. I'm going to start the year with the first episode in a new series of podcasts. My plan is for the podcasts to be weekly affairs with news of SMB IT products and issues along with interviews of vendors, service providers, and small-business IT professionals. Let me know what you think -- I want the podcast to be useful, informative, and enjoyable -- more the physician-prescribed glass of merlot than the heaping bowl of Prune-bran for your health.

In this week's episode you'll hear industry news and an interview with Garrett Fortune of Workflow.com.

You can download this week's episode by clicking on this link: Listen!

Posted by Curt Franklin on January 3, 2008 11:11 AM