Is it time for Vista? Solutions for upgrade problems and advice for deployment and maintenance

Operating systems are constantly being updated. Sometimes it’s to deal with security issues, sometimes to improve performance and sometimes to add new, must have, features.

Setting up a VPN between two sites

Setting up a VPN between two sites for a small business to create a single network; although the interface will be different for every router, the functions are roughly the same.

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.

Set up event subscriptions in Windows Server 2008

Set up an event subscription between two Windows Server 2008 systems

Open the Reliability and Performance Monitor console, right-click on Data Collector Sets > User Defined, and create a New > Data Collector Set. Name the Data Collector and choose to Create manually (Advanced).

Selling the first server

A server can make life easier for a small business customer and for you – but how do you convince them of that?

Server installations go wrong for any number of reasons, especially when it’s the first time the business has had a server, and for the strangest reasons. The server was built to specification. The engineer was on time and eager to start. The problem? The customer didn’t like the colour.

Understanding Licensing

Software licensing is increasingly complex, but with clients facing fines for under-licensing, you have a duty – and an opportunity - to help

Rebuilding a NAS appliance RAID array

Disks fail, and RAID arrays need rebuilding. Be prepared for the worst – and keep your clients’ data safe.

Managing virtualisation for the desktop

Microsoft’s Desktop Optimization Pack includes two virtualisation tools, one for Windows itself and one for individual applications. what is involved with setting these up, and what are the benefits and downsides?

Partner Focus: Peter-Hortensius-Lenovo

The computer maker Lenovo has 9% of the worldwide PC market, and in 2009 it ranked as the world’s fast-est-growing PC company. In the three months to December 31st, Lenovo grew sales by 42%, against an industry av-erage of 17%. We asked Lenovo what that means for small business resellers.

How, why and when to defragment your Windows Server disks

Servers are particularly susceptible to file fragmentation as they deal with multiple requests from a wide range of users and often have more complicated drive setups such as RAIDs and SANs.