What do you get when you have a room full of computer nerds for a conference?  IT Nation.

Last week IRIS Solutions sent two people down to IT Nation (the annual partner summit hosted by our management software company in Florida) to help develop our technical skills.  The conference was great for us and we got a good break from the day-to-day grind.  While down there we were able to network with other IT shops like ours and talk about best practice.

We met with different vendors such as ConnectWise, SonicWALL, Firebox, Axcient, Kaseya, Symform, and LabTech.  These may not sound like the types of companies you are used to hearing about, however they help shops like ours offer great solutions to our customer base.  These companies build products that we can offer our clients at a smaller scale since so many of the products offered and built for IT from companies like Microsoft, Oracle, and Cisco are built for large platforms.  The smaller channel driven providers like us help our deployment of technologies such as hosted Exchange, online backup, application performance, and other cloud-based services.

Overall we have made some significant improvements to our business.  We have developed better policies for ticket flow and problem resolution and are going to start using something called "email connector" to help keep up with support-based emails better.  We have also made improvements to our quoting system for faster turnaround on products and replacements. 

As we talked to other business partners like us there is one thing for sure; IT businesses like ours have a lot to offer other small to medium sized businesses.  The world of IT is changing so rapidly that it is hard to keep up, but in a small company like ours we can see a change coming and make immediate changes to our process and direction to overcome those obstacles.  Have you ever seen IBM do anything fast?  Think about this: IBM owned the computer market with the IBM XT in the mid to late '80s.  Around this time a small startup called Dell came in and took over the delivery of computers to individuals and businesses.  IBM could not change quickly enough and then Dell became the number one reseller.

IRIS Solutions is just the right sized company to help facilitate change for our evolving future in IT.  We learned a lot during IT Nation and are continuing to make improvements to our company.

We field many calls requesting help with the user's "Microsoft."  These calls can often mean Microsoft Office, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or even the Operating System.  So what is the difference? 

The Operating System (OS) is the software that runs on the PC.  The dictionary.com meaning is "the collection of software that directs a computer's operations, controlling and scheduling the execution of other programs, and managing storage, input/out, and communication resources."  The OS is needed to run the other apps you use in your business.  Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer run within the Operating System.

Microsoft Office is a collection of applications such as Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, Power Point, Outlook, and Info Path.  This collection of applications gives you various functions from developing presentation materials, recording data and housing that data, to simply checking email and keeping up with contacts and your calendar.

Internet Explorer is the application you use to browse the internet.  You can browse web pages and also access web applications via the web browser.

There are distinct differences in these Microsoft products.  Being clear about the issue and which part of the Microsoft collection of applications is causing issues can be vital to a timlier fix to your problem.

One thing I see with surprising frequency is a business that does not understand the importance of maintaining valid and current backup data.  On occasion we see backup drives that have been left unplugged, are filled to capacity, or software that has been improperly configured and does not run as scheduled.  When we discover issues such as this during a new client assessment, the business owner will often admit knowledge of the situation or appear unconcerned.

To date, I have only had to assist one company with data loss coupled with a failed backup device.  The amount of time, frustration, and manpower that this requires cannot be understated--- it is staggering.  Any company that loses financial data can encounter further financial and time loss penalties when that information is needed by the IRS or similar organizations.  For those businesses that are in any way involved with medical practices, HIPAA violations also become a serious concern.  Recently we have seen the first instances of financial penalties from HIPAA for data loss:

          - In February 2011 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services fined Massachusetts General Hospital $1 million for losing   the medical records of 192 patients.

          - Around the same time, Cignet Health of Maryland was fined $4.3 million for failing to provide patients a copy of their medical records upon request.

The danger of data loss and/or theft is very real and we are seeing practices suffering massive penalties as the associated agencies attempt to impose the full reach of their regulations.  Some additional repercussions of sensitive data loss can include mandatory public announcements of the incident, requirements to directly contact all potentially affected persons and explain the situation to them, and increased audit scrutiny for several years thereafter.

Storage solutions today are far more reliable and far less expensive than ever in the history of electronic data storage.  The related software to manage and monitor your data backups has become much more advanced as well.  Not to sound cliche, but if you're wondering if you can afford a good backup solution the better question to ask is "Can I afford not to?"

IRIS Solutions offers several forms of data backup and monitoring services.  Please take a moment to contact us with your questions and concerns on this very important topic!

You're planning a cookout at your house: do you visit Dean & Deluca for meat, Earth Fare for produce, and, if you have the energy and time, Harris Teeter for condiments, or do you like to get all items from one reliable source?  Not everyone has the time or money to shop around at specialty venues for various items so why should you have to do the same for your IT services?

IRIS Solutions prides itself as being a "one stop shop" for all of your IT needs.  Whether you're building a new office from the ground up or simply need assistance in selecting a new telecom provider or practice management software, we have the experience and expertise to guide you through the entire process.

As a managed services provider we do just that; "manage" our clients and their IT infrastructure to take the guesswork out of a sometimes scary and unsure element of your office.  We work with countless vendors and local reps to ensure any transition is as seamless as possible.  We also act as a liason between you and the third party provider to be sure you are getting the best solution for your environment.

Please contact us to see how we can better manage your IT services and solutions under one umbrella, and if you prefer to get your "meat and veggies" from different sources, we can provide assistance in those areas too.

We've all had to go through it.  Log in here, log in there, this password for that site, and so on.  With the need for authentication and information systems security greatly increasing, I find it somewhat challenging having to remember 32 different passwords and when, and if, they're set to expire.  The use of usernames and passwords has been around since the inception of the PC itself.

An individual wanting access inputs the username they are assigned and then a password, showing the system they are who they say they are.  Most systems require a minimum of 6 alpha-numeric characters.  While for some that may seem over the top, a skilled hacker, or computer for that matter, can crack your password in a matter of seconds.

A good authentication system is called "multi-factor."  It combines something you know, something you have, something you are, or any combination of the three.  A fingerprint reader that also requires an alpha numeric password is a good example, but what if we could simplify the requirement for multi-factor authentication into a simple puzzle.  PortSys has developed a unique login interface called "SafeLogin" that uses small pictures that must be selected in a particular order to log users into their systems or certain applications.  Instead of typing a word such as P@ssword1, users select a series of small pictures (for example: a duck, a hat, and a car) and BAM!, you're in.  No more remembering 32 different passwords, except for the initial setup and configuration, and getting them all confused.  I can't tell you how many times I thought my email password was my bank account password and vice versa.  And wouldn't you know it, I end up locked out of both every time.

Though this is not a fairly new concept, the idea of using a more user friendly graphic interface is starting to gain popularity.  For one, there's no new software of hardware footprint to slow down productivity.  And as far as hardware goes, the program costs about 1.3% of what a fingerprint or retina scanner would cost, saving you loads of money.  SafeLogin claims to increase the security of a standard 8 character username and password set by 66,000 times.  Even though it's not been adopted by the DOD or NSA, it's safe to say this new type of authentication will change the login screen forever.

Blackberry once owned the smartphone world.  Long before Android and iPhone it was either Windows-based phones or Blackberry.  It was widely accepted that Blackberry was the best.  I have one and still like the phone.  It is an email machine and it works.  Nothing fancy about it, no glamour, no touch screen, but email and phone just flat out works.

These were my thoughts until last week when we took my son to the Verizon store to get his phone for his birthday.  While I was there I was looking at all of the new Android phones and the iPhones.  These new phones do so much.  All of the applications, internet browsers, ease of use, and then there in the corner collecting dust, is the Blackberry.

I have had a Blackberry for four years now and I see that nothing has changed on the phones in four years.  At one time RIM was lightyears ahead as they were the only ones doing mobile email on devices.  They were the first to offer a wireless sync for more than email.  They still have either POP, BIS, or BES synchronization.  All of this technology with the world's brightest engineers and they make a relic phone that has not changed in four years.  Hold on, let me take that back.  I did move from a Curve to a Bold and now there is a Poker game in the games section.  How awesome!!  I don't have to use the antiquated Blackberry App world (wonder where they came up with that name. Thanks, Steve Jobs.) to download some app to only ask me twelves times to allow it.  That is all I have found that changes on the phone.  That, and a battery that dies faster.

I for one love the BES experience.  With my new phone I was able to do an enterprise sync and pull all of my ring tones and settings in.  I love it.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking RIM's unbelievable service and engineering, but the phone is just old.  With nothing changing in several years and all the latest phones having faster access, and even 4G access, I'm ready to swap.  I did go to the Blackberry website to pick my next model only to find out I am on the latest model.

Blackberry, you are losing me.  I am an avid phone user with heavy email.  I am an IT nerd and love technology and you are losing me.  I an the guy you wanted to keep.  I am the guy you wanted in your corner because I offer opinions on everything technology.

My next blog will not be about which phone to pick, but why this Droid or iPhone is so awesome.  Thanks, Blackberry.  You made my choice much easier now.

While we recommend and resell PCs that run Windows to our clients, we have had occasional interest in Apple-brand products and have purchased a few Macs for clients as well.  Generally speaking, especially in the dental and medical fields, Windows-based computers are the standard.  The software and other peripheral equipment that run dental and medical practices are a bit "behind" the technology curve and have not quite advanced to a level to be supported by a Mac operating system just yet.  Because of this, and the die-hard standard being a Windows machine, we have typically shied away from Macs in our office, though we do have a few employees with Apple equipment they use personally; iPhones, iPads, iPods, MacBooks, etc.

One of our technicians has always been a PC guy and recently jumped on the Apple bandwagon to see what it was all about.  We recently asked him to share his thoughts on his new purchase, a MacBook Pro, and the new features he has discovered while working on it thus far:

"My laptop from college was getting pretty old and me being who I am, I wanted something new.  I decided to try a MacBook just to see if I would like it.  Everybody these days seems to want an iPod touch, an iPhone, and now an iPad, so to me it seems like Apple really knows what it is doing for it to be the hot brand.  After comparing for a couple of weeks I finally took the plunge and ordered my new MacBook.  I remember all of my friends laughing at me for buying one when when I could have gotten a regular laptop for cheaper.  My new laptop arrived after about a week and I haven't been disappointed since.

I am on my MacBook every single day.  I may be doing some work from home or just sitting around surfing the internet, but every time I am on it it seems like I find a new feature.  Apple has put so much attention into every detail on its MacBook that I could go on forever; from the awesome display, the thousands of apps, to how many different things you can control just by using the touchpad.  It amazes me how they can design something that can tell if I'm using 2, 3, of 4 fingers on the touchpad and each one has a different feature.  I have probably only utilized 10% of what it is capable of doing but that only excites me.  I still use a Windows PC at work everyday and think they are just as good, but I love trying something different.  When it comes down to it, both PCs and Macs can do the same thing, it is just what you prefer and enjoy using."

Have questions or need clarification after reading this?  Please contact us and we will be glad to recommend a proper solution for you or your office.

We live in the age of the social network; Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn...they're everywhere!  Though these can be useful for reconnecting with old friends and family, or just catching up with the day-to-day activities of your acquaintances, the social network has become a hacker's playground.

Just in the last week four new security threats have been identified on the popular social networking site Facebook, all of which seem to redirect the user to another page.  The hacker plays on your urge to see who's been looking at your profile or on your desire to win a free iPad, but be weary of the shorter, unusual-looking links entered into others profiles and posts.  A news feed on Facebook from one of your best friends may say, "Look who sees your profile... click here... www.bity.bti."  In your mind you may be thinking, "How Cool!  Now I can see who's been looking at me!" but with just one click from the office computer you have exposed the entire database and network infrastructure to a savvy hacker.  These links should make you a little suspicious, no matter if you're on an office or personal computer, but the threat of such a breach should be enough to steer anyone away from such a link, or websites such as these altogether, due to the possibility of HIPAA violations and lawsuits that may result from private entries and information being scattered across the net.

Don't put yourself, your information, or your career/office in jeopardy, because the next time you see a post on one of these sites that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Have you ever been so frustrated with service you've received and felt like you had no place to turn to share your concerns?  If you're actually able to voice your frustrations do you have much hope that your comments will be taken seriously and addressed?

At IRIS Solutions we take customer service very seriously.  Our ticketing system, ConnectWise, sends automatically generated emails upon closure of tickets to the primary company contact on record.  These emails are sent as a follow up on the service work that was performed to give you the opportunity to let us know if the issue still persists and to send any feedback, positive or negative, on the service you received.  Also included at the bottom of the email is a link to a service survey to rate our performance.  We encourage you to complete this survey, no matter how high or low the score may be, so that we can work to continually improve upon the service we provide to our valued clients.

We enjoy sharing the scores and comments with our staff to offer constructive criticism or praise for a job well done.  The next time you receive a ticket closure email please take a moment to let us know how our service was for you.  We receive may positive comments but receive our fair share of negative feedback as well, which only helps us to work better for you and your office in the future.

Below are two positive comments received yesterday in regards to recent service work performed for their offices.  Keep the feeback coming and we'll continue to offer the best service and support we can!

• "I have always had a great experience with every technician that I have spoken with over the phone and in person.  Everyone is knowledgeable and friendly!  Thanks for all you do."
• "System is working beautifully!  Your entire team is a delight to work with!"