What is this?
  • Business Continuity

    Database Backup

    Databases store the most valuable information for the businesses you work with and they’re the trickiest systems to back up; some of the largest technology companies in the world have got database backup badly wrong. Losing that data can have serious consequences for the business, to say nothing of the embarrassment quotient for you. Here we explain the essentials of backing up and introduce some specialist tools.
    read more
  • Client

    Is Windows 7 Ready for Small Business

    The Service Pack 1 rule is a good one for most operating systems, and not because a new version of Windows usually has as many bugs as benefits.
    read more
ServerTelecoms

Working with Blackberry enterprise server 5.0

A new BES brings a very different way of working with BlackBerrys, with a new Web-based administration console that makes life simpler and more complicated at the same time.

   
Security

A smart approach to IP-based video surveillance

The trend towards converged security requires companies to keep their eye on physical premises. Here's how to specify and deploy an IP-based video surveillance solution for your small business clients.

   
The Business

Partner Focus: Aamir Paul, Dell

Aamir Paul, director, Advanced Systems Group SMB, EMEA, at Dell

Small businesses depend more than ever on technology, but also face a growing challenge when it comes to managing their IT assets.

   
TelecomsThe Business

Bringing VoIP in house

For growing businesses, an on-premise IP PBX offers flexibility and room for growth. But how do you pick the right set up for clients?

   
Business Continuity

Backing up Exchange

Like any other database, Exchange needs a little TLC if you want to recover from any downtime.

   
ServerClient

Application control with Windows Group Policy Preferences

Get total application control with Windows Group Policy Preferences.

   
Business Continuity

Database Backup

Databases store the most valuable information for the businesses you work with and they’re the trickiest systems to back up; some of the largest technology companies in the world have got database backup badly wrong. Losing that data can have serious consequences for the business, to say nothing of the embarrassment quotient for you. Here we explain the essentials of backing up and introduce some specialist tools.

   
The Business

Hardware Recycling: Making money from green

Dealing with end-of-life hardware can be a burden for it consultants, but managing recycling and trade-ins for clients provides a business opportunity, as well as a chance to help the environment.

   
ServerTelecoms

Configuring and Using the 3CX Skype gateway

Save money by connecting an IP PABX to Skype for low cost international calls from IP desk phones, not just PCs.

   
ServerThe Business

GFI tools for management

Keep track of customer servers and workstations with this remote monitoring and management software.

   


Next
issue Feb 2010

To read a sample please
download Jan/Feb 2009
IT-Expert-Magazine-Vo2-Ed1.pdf

 

MS-SMB-Report-2009
Download the Microsoft SMB
Insight Report 2009

“Because they can respond so quickly as business conditions change,small and midsize companies have an advantage in a volatile and uncertain economic climate".

Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft

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IT EXPERT TOP TIP

If Autoruns, Processor Explorer, FileMon, RegMon and the other SysInternals tools aren't already in your arsenal, then you need to take a look at the instructions for these invaluable free utilities on the Sysinternals site. If you already know, love and tote them around on a USB stick, memorise http://live.sysinternals.com instead; this hosts the full set of tools as EXEs files, complete with help files, so you can run them from any machine you need to work on without needing to install them or even unpack a ZIP file. read more

TAKE THE POLL

Unified communications

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WELCOME

 If it ain’t broke, should you fix it? Actually, yes. The one thing most of your customers need is backup, because they’ll be out of business so this issue we take a look at the trickier systems to back up – databases and Exchange. But to get the most from their opportunities, your small business customers need to be innovating – because the bigger businesses they compete with are going to be. 

According to a survey done by the Economist Intelligence Unit for Accenture, 63% of businesses are going to increase their IT budget in 2010, 75% say IT has to give the business more flexibility – and over 80% said that yes, the cost of projects is very important when they’re trying to get them signed off (no surprise there). 

Incidentally, a third are planning to keep costs down by setting project requirements and sticking to them, which means you need to ask the questions that let you spec the project correctly in the first place. Expect to be asked to drop your charges and to include open source software (which too many businesses still assume is always cheaper, so make sure you know what’s actually cost effective). Think about services you can offer that will save them money by avoiding disruption; GFI’s MAX and LANguard tools help you create monitoring services that cover the full range of small business systems with very little effort and you can prevent most of those irritating and avoidable configuration problems more easily than you think with a free tool in all modern versions of Windows and Windows Server, Group Policy Preferences. 

The survey says businesses want to rationalise and replace existing systems: if that makes you think of virtualisation, 37% of businesses agree with you. Remember that replacing kit means dealing with what gets replaced; we take a look at both the problems and the business opportunities in recycling hardware. They also want to invest in CRM (which we looked at last issue) and improving business processes, in data analytics, compliance and supply chain management. VoIP might help them with that and we look at both the budget option, based on Skype, and the full in-house VoIP systems you can specify and video surveillance is coming down in price as it shifts to IP-based systems. 

We’re also seeing enterprises accelerating their Windows 7 deployments; according to analysts Forrester two thirds will migrate to Windows 7 in 2010, making it the new business standard OS. That’s a significant change given that analysts IDC says 72% of businesses across Europe are still using XP with only 15% on Vista – again, you’ll want to remind the small businesses you work with that they want to get the benefits of Windows 7 sooner rather than later. 

Things aren’t back to business as usual it does look like there will be more business in 2010 – but you’ll have to think strategically to win it. Dell’s director for SMB advanced technologies Aamir Paul has some ideas about what the small businesses you work with will need this year and how you can position the products and services you offer them to suit that. See more of the interview on our Web site, along with all our previous features.

 Mary Branscombe Executive Editor 

P.S.
Smartphones continue to go from strength to strength in business and if your customers are buying the new Bold and Storm BlackBerrys they’re going to want you to upgrade them to BES 5 to get the extra features; in this issue we have a full step-by-step guide to make it easier.

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