How to write an IT service-level agreement

Turn DPM and Windows Storage Server into an appliance

Combine windows storage server and add windows system center data protection manager and you can get a backup and dr appliance you can build – or a service you can sell.

Dirtection Inc: episode 8

When boffins go bad. As one gruesome mystery ends, another begins.

Designing a backup plan

Work through these steps when you first engage with a customer over a backup plan.

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.

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.

Dealing with spam in Exchange 2007

Spam isn’t just annoying - it’s a security risk and a prime source of malware and phishing attacks. The new version of Exchange has more effective tools to keep it at bay.

Supporting Office 2007: top tips for compatibility and how to make the most of the Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar

It was a shock when Microsoft unveiled Office 2007 at its Professional Developers Conference in 2005. The reason was the new ribbon user interface (officially called the Office Fluent User Interface), not supplementing but replacing the old drop-down menus. According to Microsoft, the new UI was the outcome of years of research, as described in detail by Group Program Manager Jensen Harris on his blog. Nevertheless, response to the ribbon has been mixed: some users love it, some never get used to it, and pretty much everyone experiences a period of frustration during which familiar features are hard to find.

Types of Storage

There are three types of storage you can provide to your customers: Direct Attached Storage (DAS), Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Networking (SAN). What you choose will affect the cost, the solution and the levels of support and services you can offer.

The Exchange 2007 Management Shell

The Exchange Management Console gives you a quick and easy way of working with your Exchange 2007 server, but it’s the Management Shell that unleashes the full potential of Exchange 2007.