Planeo LTD Newsletter

Last time, way too long ago, I promised to talk about the kinds of services available on the cloud. So let’s get to it.

Disaster Recovery and Off Site Backup

   The easiest and simplest recommendation I can make is to use online back up. It not only protects your data, it protects it off site.  It is automatic and you just need to leave your computer on overnight.The only warning that I give is make sure that it is encrypted ON your machine and that you keep the encryption key where you can get it. Encryption means that the data is scrambled so that anyone who does not have your password has an extremely difficult time figuring out what your files say, difficult as in Cray supercomputer with government decoding programs difficult. You want the encryption on your computer so that you do not send your files into the Internet in a way that anyone can read them.

Email- Not your Hotmail account, but full fledged Exchange type email servers. Google has a full range offering that covers email for all your employees or members of your organization, individual and group calanders. Microsoft offers a full Exchange service that offers an enterprise web presences without a machine. In addition though Microsoft allows you to go hybrid: spliting the service so that some is on your hardware while some is on theirs. You can also use the Microsoft service during a time of growth, then build up your system to handle the entire service.

Servers- Not just email but entire servers can be set up on the cloud. You rent space instead of owning it.

 These work well for small companies that are very spread out or who have excellent bandwidth. Spread out because one or two computers at a location  would have to connect to a central location over the internet any way.  More than a few having to travel out of the building and back again can clog all but the fattest of Internet pipes. And of course, having to encrypt the data both ways to protect it.

  The trade offs are up to you- the initial cost of owning verses leasing, convienence vs security, control verses accesibility. With everything but automated off site backup, there are pros and cons. With online backup the ease, security, and data safety make backing up to dulicate external hard drives and physically switching them out insane.

     First,  I hope you had a good Thanksgiving  and wish you the joy of the coming holidays.  Enjoy the food, the bustle, and the parties. Remember the reasons for the celebration  underneath it all.                   http://youtu.be/SXh7JR9oKVE                                                                                                                                                  And now to the topic.

     This posting is about purchasing computers, both as gifts and for businesses, things to consider while doing so, and to suggest some alternatives. There are many offers out there and lots of advertising.  Dell, HP, Acer and other brand names, sold directly or through big retailers, hands down have the best prices for entry level computers. They have volumes of scale, tremendous buying power and on average, adequately provide  the  support they promise. You know where to find them. They are easy and simple.

They also  have some hidden costs. 

1. They are loaded up with trial offers including  antivirus software that lasts for 2 months. If you don’t notice it before the recipient gets it,  3 months later, the machine is riddled with viruses.
2. The guide utilities  that duplicate features of the operating  system while trying to sell you things. 
3.  OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)  Software. Those low prices for operating systems software, by taking all responsibility for support themselves. Low cost software for Microsoft Office that is locked into that machine and that machine only. Some of them don’t provide the system, or restore disk, with the machine, expecting you to create them.
4. Hardware warrenties  OEM parts replace the manufacturer’s warranty with the warranty offered at the time of purchase, usually one year unless you buy an extended warranty. The companies that sell the processors and motherboard typically offer a three year warranty, with hard drives offering up to five year.  All of these longer warranties are lost. All of these longer warranties are LOST!! The major manufacturers buy the parts cheaper because the manufacturer does not have the cost of the full warranty period.
5. Parts that can be more expensive than a similar white box part. ( I remember pricing a motherboard for a Dell computer that was one month out of warranty and it was cheaper for the customer to buy a new Dell system that for me to buy the motherboard.)     

     What does this mean to you? A hard drive that would normaly have a 5 year warranty has a one year warranty. I truely don’t believe that they make a lower quality product for the one year warranty, but anyone who has ever dealt with manufacturing knows that there are batches of product that just passes quality control, and those the max quality control. Which ones do you think goes to the company that  pays the least and you back for one year? Which ones go to the company where  you back them for 5 years?

There are reputable white box manufacturers that offer 3 year warranties standard. I happen to deal with one of them. When comparing prices, find out the cost of the extended warranty of that brand name machines. Does the person who sold it to you support it, or will you be stuck in voicemail hell? Look at total cost of ownership (TCO),  which means not just the upfront charge, but the cost of replacement, maintenance upgrade and the time spent waiting for things to work, setting up the computer etc.

As always, contact me ir you have questions.

 Welcome to the Planeo Ltd newsletter’s first blog post. This issue is about security problems that could be especially troubling in the coming holiday season.

First, make sure your antivirus is current, and updated. Do not ignore the red X on the shield of the of the Windows Security Center, or the yellow/red in the antivirus icon in the bottom right corner of your task bar. If the subscription has expired, renew it If you are not happy with your anti-virus program, look around before it expires to replace it. If you do replace it, uninstall the old anti-virus completely before installing the new one. Run a daily, complete scan for viruses. Install Microsoft Updates (http://update.microsoft.com/) onto your computer to update all Microsoft programs  .Make sure you click install when Windows informs you that it has updates to install or better yet, just have them installed at 3AM automatically. Doing all this is your first line of defense against having your computer hacked and the credit card information that you use to shop online put at risk.

  The second line of defense is caution with emails. The oft repeated phrase “Don’t open an email unless you know who it’s from” also applies to attachments. People are being hit with a particularly evil email right now. You get an email that appears to be from UPS, FedEx, or DHL. It says that there was a package that was not delivered, and to ‘click here’ to read or fill out a form that will let you claim or retrieve it. Don’t believe it. It is a trap that will install a virus onto your computer. Now please understand that you are NOT opening the email when you preview it in your email program, only when you open it in to it’s own box. Delete it, and empty the Deleted Items folder as well. If you are still using Outlook Express, please download Live Mail at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=56883DE5-2024-4631-806E-757693072A1C&displaylang=en.  

Third, watch what you install and what you machines does. Don’t install  shopping or coupon toolbars that “offer suggestions” to you based on you browsing. When you install them, you are giving permission for the program to track where you go and what you do.  Mywebsearch is one of the worst, but few add value. They slow up your browser and some are easily hacked. If there are programs that suddenly appear, and you did not install them, question the other people that have access to your computer to see if they did. (Teenagers, as a group, are really bad about this). If things seem to be running slow, and all of a sudden things are crashing, get help quickly.

Just setting up the Planeo Newsletter/Blog. Content to Follow.