April 1, 2010
Whether you have a full-blown audit or simply get profit and loss information for the accountant, it’s time to reflect on last year and seek advice going forward. You’ll look at your top expenses and evaluate business goals while trying to get the most tax breaks possible.
But who is checking your technology, advising you on trends, and helping you to lower costs? Technology is your #4 business expense after salaries, taxes/benefits, and rent. Just like everything in your business it’s time to cut the fat and stop repeating the same old mistakes.
Your IT Department is obviously trusted, but they are paid to maintain systems and keep users happy. New things are always on the back burner and the technology is constantly changing. To make a sharper point, do you provide your IT an annual budget, regularly certify them on the latest technology, and measure their cost or performance to the financials? No.
We generally find companies have:
- Inadequate documentation for maintenance, disaster recovery, or business evaluation.
- Too much hardware and mis-matched software.
- Minor to significant system configuration problems and pending failures.
- No understanding of pending or future needs and associated costs or risks.
A regular review of systems and network security prevents businesses from flying blind and prevents IT conflict. This review should be done by a qualified IT firm rather than an Accounting firm. It should include a breakdown of the top business/technology categories, specific issues for resolution by system, and immediate to future recommendations.
Be prepared to hear some things you may not like, but it’s better to know and react than remain oblivious. You also should be open to new ideas to lower cost like managed services, virtualization, cloud computing, remote monitoring, and online backup. Your IT likely needs help and would much rather have expert input and focus on helping the business than mundane maintenance tasks. If you chose to do nothing, you’re resigning your business to regularly paying a high technology tax.
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Cloud Computing, IT Outsourcing, Managed Services, Matrixforce, Network Security, Oklahoma, Online Backup, Remote Monitoring, Remote Support, Tulsa, Virtualization | Tagged: Managed Services, Online Backup, IT Outsourcing, Remote Monitoring, Network Security, Remote Support, Virtualization, Oklahoma, Tulsa, Matrixforce, Cloud Computing | 
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Posted by matrixforce
February 1, 2010
Server virtualization means converting physical servers into logical ones and running on less hardware. The concept is simple: use less energy, buy less server hardware, AND gain stability and reliability. It’s the last part where amateurs stumble and customers get hurt.
Like everything in business, start with what you need regardless of technology and then research and pick a vendor based on that criteria. That ISP (aren’t they in the business of providing Internet access?) who touts financial stability in spite of having gone out of business three times, is likely not a fit for many reasons. Server virtualization requires knowledge of storage, networking, and migration.
Here are some tips to save you time, energy, and money:
- Follow the rules. Just because you can convert just about any physical server to virtual, doesn’t mean you should. Your whitebox and 32bit knowledge needs an upgrade to certified hardware and x64 (yes you need TOE for the NICs too). Many manufacturers don’t support virtualization or only in certain configurations. Special functions like firewalls simply should not be virtualized. Just because it will run, doesn’t let you escape the fact you have no support for a problem. With channel inventory crunches like now, you could be waiting 30 days for replacement hardware, not to mention the cost of reinstalling and restoring on physical iron with all the business downtime. Even hardened gamblers cringe at such risk.
- Think in twos. You should have at least two physical hosts, two more switches for a separate network, and replicated storage. A major point of server virtualization is to add reliability so it is easier to recover from failures. However, many uninformed and unscrupulous vendors will sell only one physical host because it is cheap and easy. If that one server crashes, you’re out of business and worse off than if you had physical boxes because at least something would be running. If your data is stored on the same box, restoring is longer and more complicated.
- Invest in storage. Another major concept to understand is separation of processing and storage. This approach is how things like domain controllers on different physical hosts and Live Migration give greater up time. Get a Storage Attached Network (SAN) for multi-path data transfer and fiber is not required. While virtualization is a good time to escape tape and think about data replication, DO NOT get a legacy Network Attached Storage (NAS) as it provides no advantage for speed or growth versus a traditional physical server. Again, many crafty providers will sell only one physical host and lease a NAS for backup because it is cheap and easy. The danger for customers is that as the virtual servers that include data grow, response slows and the huge hundred plus gigabyte virtual images are difficult to backup or restore. When you add the typical outsourced solution from India with no access for customers to verify backup or restore their own files, the captured high cost and low viability is more than insult to injury.
- Save on software too. Microsoft HyperV now dominates the market, has as many or more features, and costs less than alternatives. Plus, with each Windows Server Enterprise license, you get 4 free Windows Server standard licenses. Those myths about poor security and limited features have really hurt the competition. Windows Server Core had 19 patches (full Windows Server 34) last year versus 168 VMWare updates. Server Core is 73MB versus VMWare 4GB and features like Live Migration have eliminated any third-party advantages.
Starting in 1996, Matrixforce began providing virtualization which at that time was largely limited to terminal services. Fast forward to today, Matrixforce is the exclusive certified Advanced Infrastructure and Enterprise Storage provider in Oklahoma. Since we’re unconcerned with selling product or billable hours, we would welcome the opportunity to help you make an informed virtualization decision. Contact us at (918) 622-1167 Option 3 or e-mail sales@matrixforce.com to review needs or schedule a demo.
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Posted by matrixforce
January 1, 2010
Who’s the greatest? Muhammad Ali of course. So why do most vendors seemingly have the same bluster?
In the technology industry, you better believe your own story, but there are things that all customers should ignore or move onto another vendor when they hear:
- We’re the best or most experienced.
Summing the ages of all employees and significant others is an obvious ploy. Also, a lot of advertising doesn’t make you the best.
- We’re certified.
That dated MCSE, archaic command line knowledge, and that on-line open-book hardware test don’t mean much today.
- We want to be your trusted advisor.
Who doesn’t?
- We do good work real fast.
Speed is fine, but it doesn’t rank in the most important aspects of technology implementation.
- People like us.
The inflated testimonial quote from a buddy and your girlfriend on your own website are transparent. That LinkedIn recommendation from your best friend about how honest you are doesn’t help either.
Generally, the younger the company the more repetitive and outlandish the claims. Before the feeds and speeds and myriad sales presentations, here are some points to quickly qualify the true professionals from the pretenders:
1) What is your need and their motivation?
Start with your specific needs, preferably not more than 6-10 concise and quantifiable phrases. It’s amazing how many clients don’t do this first step in helping to eliminate the bulk of vendors and focus on just a few. Then while you’re Googling, a dated and poorly done website is an initial warning sign. Other warning motivations include “doing it all for any and everybody” unclear focus, slogans beginning with their profitability first, and myriad logos of manufactures signaling an invested reseller pitch regardless of need.
2) How long have they been in business?
Much like restaurants, most technology and consulting firms fold in 3-7 years. This question will cut to the bone for many vendors and should be one of your top disqualification factors, as you’ll generally want a minimum 5 year solution. While that LLC startup may sound hip, you should ask how they are funded and true business background in addition to technical.
3) How did their business start?
The vast majority of technology companies start under less than honorable circumstances. Some of the stories are harrowing: individuals stealing company brand and tag lines and representing as their own, selling services for their new startup while working for their previous employer, downloading employer documents and processes for their new venture, and disparaging their employer and utilizing trade secrets to solicit existing clients and break contracts. Litigation is $50K to start and there is little protection for employers via law for such piracy, with only lawyers reaping the reward and offenders simply going bankrupt and starting again. Remember that the companies you pick have a great deal of access to your information and you do need them to be trustworthy. Ask for contact information for their previous employer and if that employer would hire them again. When you don’t hear from them any more or you get the real story from the previous employer, know that you dodged a bullet from making a big mistake.
4) What are the credentials of the owners?
Another dirty secret of the industry is that most principles have no degree. That former cable installer and PC assembler who got a MCSE in 2003 via their previous employer may be touting consulting experience, but with no formal training you’re taking a big risk. Knowing how to install software and hardware are drastically different skills from business process, planning, and understanding. This point comes back to the issues of credibility and longevity.
5) What is under the covers?
Throughout the selection process, you should be asking and evaluating what the vendor uses to do their job. Is the offering open and can you check it or are you restricted from even accessing your own systems? Is that Microsoft vendor really using a Linux box for monitoring? Why is the service provided by two or three companies? Do you want a foreign system from India and phone support transferred there? Finally, visit the offices. Lease space is cheap and many startups have a fake office and a few 1099 contractors working from home. You’ll know it when you see it as the office will likely be in a retail strip, have a plain black and white sign, and an odd wall facing the entrance protecting the view of largely empty space.
Throughout the selection process, it is a glaring mistake not to tell the vendors the other players who are competing because things you may have missed will be identified by competitors. Also, after selection let the short list candidates know who won and why.
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Posted by matrixforce
December 1, 2009
Microsoft Exchange 2010 was released last month. If you’re still running Exchange 2003, this would be a good time to break that old arbitrary rule about always staying one version behind:
- Those ever-increasing requests and associated problems concerning e-mail archival and retention are now built-in with much more capability than previous versions and without third-party software.
- Voice mail preview may delay or lessen that upcoming phone system upgrade as a new unified messaging feature.
- New information protection features gives you much more ability to prevent leakage of confidential information.
- Exchange 2007 is on year 3 of 5 for standard support and leaps in technology are now happening every 18-36 months.
- The x64 hardware requirements are nearly identical and corresponding x64 server software is well beyond being mainstream.
Now each user can have their own archive mailbox with retention automatically defined by the organization and that is also available from Outlook Web Access. You have much better ability for compliance and legal hold. The web accessibility is just one example of improved user self-service. The new Role Based Access Control can allow users the ability to do their own message tracking. Mailbox resiliency as a whole is much better with Database Availability replacing Continuous Replication and the capability to move mailboxes without taking users off-line.
While you still must implement Rights Management for full information control, administrators may automatically notify users of potential confidential leakage and receive alerts of such actions. Windows Mobile 6.1 users will also receive new conversation views.
As with most line-of-business applications today, Exchange 2010 requires x64 hardware and operating system. Active Directory may be 2003, but the Exchange OS should be Windows Server 2008 and a Domain Controller role is not supported. Exchange may be readily virtualized, but this configuration is not supported with Unified Messaging and there may be some performance decrease when using advanced networking like ISCSI because large packets are not supported by virtual interfaces. Purchase only Standard Client Access Licenses, unless you will utilize Microsoft Exchange Hosted Mail Security. Exchange was never meant to be a document repository, so you’ll either need to move public folders to resource mailboxes or file shares.
Even though the media hypes Google as a threat to Microsoft, Gmail is still geared toward individuals. If you are a small business and haven’t investigated, Exchange On-line will offer the new 2010 features with much more capability than Google at about half the price per year ($24 vs. $50 per user per year).
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Posted by matrixforce
November 1, 2009
Every so often the whole technology industry changes and 2010 will be one of those years. If you are responsible for purchasing or evaluating technology products or services, much of what you’ve learned and utilized to make decisions has already or is in the process of changing. You know your needs have changed as everyone has had to tighten their belt. If there’s been little budget spent in the last few years at your organization on technology, then the following are things to consider.
Being in the middle of the country, local understanding and adoption of current technology often lags the rest of the nation by 18 – 36 months. Making legacy decisions on current technology could cost your organization more, while positioning behind competitors with little hope of recovery. The four main areas you should begin to understand are 64bit, virtualization, remote access, and unified messaging.
64bit means the processing speed doubles as well as the amount of memory, but you don’t have to buy “enterprise” software. Servers and associated platforms and applications are now generally all 64bit compliant. Unless your line of business application (like accounting) is 64bit compatible, this is not the year to get 64bit operating systems on desktops as most productivity software like Microsoft Office does not have a 64bit version.
If you have four or more servers, it’s time to leverage virtualization. This simply means an application is running that runs several servers within one box. If this sounds risky, consider that you often run multiple things on a server with no concern. The difference with virtualization is that you can have a second server or host to copy the virtual server image files or have running in case of a failure. So recovery is in minutes rather than days for a traditional server failure. Microsoft Hyper-V is recommended instead of VMWare for no cost and little difference in functionality. Common mistakes to avoid are only purchasing one server host and not considering storage which should be a Storage Attached Network (SAN) box and not a legacy slow and costly Network Attached Storage (NAS) box.
Why are you using that VPN? It’s difficult to connect, often down, and slow. The time is now to see a demonstration of gateway services. You can use a browser for access, have a personal desktop, and even copy files without all the hassle. Most customers are choosing Microsoft 2008 Gateway services over Citrix to save the licensing cost. Be sure to ask your software manufacturer for compatibility.
Do you love your Blackberry and e-mail? Well, Blackberry now trails the market versus iPhone, Windows Mobile, and even the new Android devices. Blackberry devices require additional server hardware and licensing, so while they started mobility remaining viability is questionable. Likewise managing e-mail consumes tons of time for little business return. Organizations that implement instant messaging/presence often see a 30% reduction in e-mail immediately and get some time back to do real work. Use Office Communicator for roaming presence and integrated security versus free clients like Windows Messenger lacking these features. Add a camera and you can do everything but reach out and shake hands.
The major manufacturers themselves are changing, all rushing to offer more integration and hosted services to change forever the relationship with customers, partners, and resellers. We’ve all been taught over the years that multi-vendor solutions offer best-of-breed and better security, but many of the major players including Microsoft have been quietly adding integrated products like anti-virus and backup. You can’t really argue when an offering is by the manufacturer, for the manufacturer’s products, and does more and costs less than third-party offerings.
Microsoft has changed the Partner Program to the Partner Network, so there will shortly be no more undiscerning Gold Partners with some having high competency and the majority with the same designation simply selling software or having customers respond to a questionnaire. Further, individual certifications have all changed to specializations like Technology Specialist in Messaging or Enterprise IT Professional, so that MCSE from 2003 no longer has meaning. Hardware manufacturer’s like Dell are following suit, recognizing that the on-line open book 30 minute test is not a discerning certification. Established players spend significant dollars for their own infrastructure offerings and have teams of sales and technical people trained in current technology for an organization Enterprise Certification. Thankfully, soon gone are the days when a cabling contractor and PC builder can tout themselves as experts with no degree or current credentials, duping customers by marking up commodity products and adding no real value while wearing more logos than a race car.
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Posted by matrixforce
