by NASA Goddard Photo and Video

Hurricane season officially starts June 1st. To help businesses prepare, Agility Recovery is hosting a FREE webinar on May 9th at 2PM EDT.

Agility welcomes Chris Hebert, lead hurricane meteorologist from ImpactWeather, to discuss the 2012 Forecast and share the best steps for preparing your organization for the storm.

Chris has over 32 years of forecasting experience, and speaks regularly at hurricane conventions and seminars around the country.

We have all witnessed the devastating effects a hurricane can have on a community, even right here in New Jersey. And as we edge closer to the start of the 2012 season, the time for preparation is now.

Register Now

Furthermore, the survey showed that 92 percent of the firms surveyed will make operational changes in the next year to 18 months, including:

• Improvements in reporting and transparency
• Execution and clearing of formerly bilateral over-the-counter (OTC) derivates
• Management of collateral and margins
• Processing of overall trade

These operational improvements will require an increase in the amount of time and money hedge funds will need to invest in IT.

Outsourcing IT to a managed services provider (MSP) who can ensure compliance with SEC requirements is a cost-efficient solution to this dilemma.

In another study commissioned by KPMG and AIMA, called “The Value of the Hedge Fund Industry to Investors, Markets and the Broader Economy,” hedge funds were shown to have significantly outperformed traditional asset classes like bonds, equities, and commodities over the last 17 years.

The report demonstrates a growing awareness of the value and performance of hedge funds over other traditional asset classes and is an indication that the market will see a significant amount of growth.

Therefore, not only will new hedge funds materialize, but the ones already on the market will swell. Investors will need a fast and efficient solution to keep up with SEC compliance.

AMRCON can provide the technology, policy, and protocol solutions hedge funds and OTC operations will need to comply with new regulations. In addition, we can provide ongoing support and maintenance to assure that, once these solutions are in place, they will remain up-to-date as regulatory needs change over time.

If you would like to talk with us further about your compliance needs and what we can do to help, contact AMRCON.

Disaster is always on the horizon. Will you business be prepared? (Photo by Ani Carrington)

Disasters are an unfortunate part of life. They can strike without warning and leave your business in complete disarray.

Whether it’s a mechanical error, a virus, a hurricane or some other type of disaster, you’re at risk of losing some or all of your data.

The exact percentages are up for debate, but here are some backup and disaster recovery statistics we gathered from various sources:

• Only 35 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises have a disaster recovery plan in place.
• The survival rate for businesses without a backup and disaster recovery plan is less than 10 percent.
• 90 percent of businesses that lose data due to a disaster are forced to shut down within two years.
• 53 percent of victims never recoup losses incurred by a disaster.

As you can see, having a backup and disaster recovery plan in place is an essential ingredient in ensuring business continuity.

The above statistics have been quoted in the IT industry for a number of years, but we recommend taking them with a grain of salt. Not everyone agrees on the percentages.

However, even though the accuracy of these statistics is not clear, they are probably not very far off. A loss of data can severely immobilize a business and risk destroying that business in the long run.

What does a backup and disaster recovery plan cover?

A comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan is designed to keep a business operational despite disaster.

That being said, every plan is different depending on your managed IT services provider. AMRCON works closely with businesses to analyze their unique situations.

As part of your plan, we may suggest any number of back-up and disaster recovery services, including:

• Server and workstation daily backups
• Offsite server replication
• Colocation
• Failover

Visit our Backup & Disaster Recovery page to learn more or contact us to discuss your business’ needs.

Don’t let a disaster keep your business from achieving the success it deserves.

At first glance, the email looks legitimate. It contains a familiar logo and a link to a professional-looking Website.

The message inside the email feels serious and needs to be addressed ASAP. All you have to do is answer a couple questions about yourself, and the issue will be resolved.

Don’t do it! This is called phishing, a method used by criminals to trick unsuspecting victims into turning over private information like passwords and account numbers by posing as a trusted source.

The next time you receive an email asking you for personal information, ask YOURSELF a few simple questions.

Are you a customer of the reported sender?

The first question you should ask yourself is, am I a customer of this “business”? If you have never heard of the business or are not a customer, do not respond.

A scammer will often send out thousands of identical emails impersonating a trustworthy business. Their hope is that a percentage of people who receive the email will be actual customers of the business they’re impersonating.

Is the email time-sensitive?

A phishing email will often give the impression of urgency. For example: “If you don’t respond within two days, your account will be closed.” If you’re a customer of the supposed business and there’s something seriously wrong with your account, they’re not going to send you an email about it.

Is the email address unidentifiable?

A legitimate business will use an email address that can be traced. On the other hand, a phishing email will often come from an unidentifiable email address.

If you can’t trace the source, do not respond.

Are there spelling and/or mechanical errors?

Check the email for spelling and mechanical errors in the writing. Big name businesses like eBay and Bank of American will pay someone to proofread an email before sending it out.

If the language in the email feels unnatural or if you notice any spelling mistakes, report the email.

Is the email formatted incorrectly?

Look closely at the layout of the email. Does the formatting look unprofessional? Are there spaces missing between paragraphs? Incorrect copyright symbols?

A legitimate business will not make these mistakes. If the email looks unprofessional, report it!

Safeguard Your Personal Information

Ultimately, no legitimate business will ever ask for sensitive information in an email. It just doesn’t happen.

If you receive lots of suspicious emails in your inbox, you may want to consider upgrading to a more effective spam filter. AMRCON offers a unique Spam Guard that will quarantine phishing, spyware, viruses and malware before they cause problems. Learn more about this indispensable tool.

To help you with your move, we have put together this IT checklist for your new office. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it should give you a better understanding of the kinds of technology you’ll need to consider as you plan your new office build-out.

Hardware to Consider

• Desktop computers and monitors
• Keyboards and mouses
• Printers
• Server
• Modems
• Laptops
• Scanners
• Surge protectors
• Projector

Software to Consider

• Word processing software
• Presentation software
• Virus protection software
• Accounting software
• Payment processing software
• E-commerce software
• Inventory management software

Communication

• Telephone line
• Desktop phones
• Cellular phones
• Internet connection
• Toll-free line
• Fax machine

Should You Hire a Project Manager?

Every business is unique and will require careful consideration and planning when setting up an effective IT infrastructure. You may want to consider hiring an experienced Project Manager to handle your new office build-out.

Along with helping you choose the right equipment for your business, a great project manager will help your business coordinate the following:

• IT purchases and installations
• Electrical wiring, flooring, lighting and other construction needs
• Furnishings and office layout
• New or upgraded network server and equipement installation
• Installation and migration of workspaces
• Website development and design
• And more, depending on the individual needs of your business

For professional help planning your new office build-out, contact AMRCON. We offer Project Management and Office Build-out Services to businesses in New Jersey and New York. We look forward to hearing from you!

How are we supposed to keep track of all these combinations?

Luckily, there are methods for creating secure passwords that are easy to remember, and today we’d like to share one of those methods with you.

The “Make Up a Sentence” Method

We’ll call this method the “Make Up a Sentence” method. This is one of the best methods we have found for creating secure passwords that are easy to remember. All you’ll need to do is make up a sentence that you can easily remember.

Some examples:

• I eat two things: cheeseburgers and fries.
• My dog’s name is scooter.
• Stay off of my computer, John!

Now take the first letter of every word in the sentence as well as the punctuation to create your new password. Don’t forget to capitalize the appropriate letters. You can also change numbers into digits for variety.

Using the examples from above, we get:

• Ie2t:caf.
• Md’nis.
• Soomc,j!

As you can see from these examples, this method can generate some pretty secure passwords, as long as you don’t choose a sentence that’s too obvious.

Please don’t use any of the above sentences to create your password!

We hope you have found this method for creating a secure password helpful. Keeping our clients’ computers safe and secure is what we do. For more suggestions, contact us.

We provide managed IT services for businesses and organizations in New Jersey, and we’d be happy to lend your business a hand.

We think understanding some of the key terms used by IT professionals will help you feel more prepared to meet with potential MSPs.

With knowledge comes confidence; there is no reason you should be left in the dark.

For that reason, we have compiled a list of common IT terms for managers to familiarize themselves with some of the acronyms, Internet terms, and service options MSPs like AMRCON use to describe their offerings.

10 Common IT Terms for Managers

Here is a list of 10 of the most common IT terms you’ll come across as you research MSPs.

This is not a comprehensive list of IT terms, but it is a good place to start. Learning terms associated with managed IT services is an ongoing process; make sure you ask the experts for more detailed explanations as you proceed with your MSP research.

#1 – ASP (application service provider)

An application service provider is a company that provides software applications to a business over the Internet. Also know as “software as a service” (SaaS), these applications are often provided on a subscription basis and do not require the user to purchase a software license.

#2 – CPE (customer provided/premise equipment)

Customer-provided equipment—or customer-premise equipment—refers to communication equipment that resides at the MSP client’s business and is owned or leased by the client.

#3 – IP (Internet protocol)

Internet protocol is a standard set of rules for sending and receiving information through the Internet. The term is often used in reference to an IP address—a code made up of numbers separated by three dots that identifies a computer on the Internet.

#4 – IP Communications (Internet protocol communications)

Internet protocol communications is a MSP service that offers a converged voice-and-data network. In general, an IP Communications service would include an Internet protocol for voice (VoIP).

#5 – IP VPN (Internet protocol virtual private network)

An Internet protocol virtual private network refers to a network that is tunneled through a wide area network (WAN) like the Internet. Therefore the network does not have to be located in one physical location. By scrambling the data sent through the WAN, the network is “virtually” private.

#6 – ISP (Internet service provider)

An Internet service provider is a company that you pay a monthly fee to so you can use the Internet. Your business needs an ISP to connect to the Internet.

#7 – IT (information technology)

IT stands for information technology and refers to anything relating to computing technology, software, hardware, the Internet, or people that work with these technologies.

#8 – LAN (local area network)

A LAN—or local area network—is a computer network that is limited to a small space like an office building or a home. Many mid- to large-sized businesses use LANs to make sharing information among employees easier.

#9 – SLA (service-level agreement)

A service-level agreement is the section of a service contract between a network service provider and a client where the level of service is formally defined.

#10 – WAN (wide area network)

A wide area network is similar to a local area network except they are not limited to one location. Using telephone lines, fiber-optic cables, or satellite links, WANs can span long distances. The Internet is considered the largest WAN in the world.

Find More Information

We hope you will find these common IT terms for managers useful as you research MSPs for your business. If you have questions, or would like an explanation of our managed IT services, please contact AMRCON.

Based in Matawan, New Jersey, AMRCON’s mission is to become a trusted advisor to you so that, through our unique managed IT services, we can reduce network downtime and contribute significantly to our your overall efficiency.

Photo by Horia Varlan

These days, businesses rely on technology to maintain the efficiency and success of their operations. That’s why maintaining an effective IT infrastructure is so crucial. Without it, a business can’t function at its top performance level.

Outsourcing your IT department to a managed services provider (MSP) is the first step to ensuring your IT infrastructure runs effectively. A great MSP will be able to anticipate problems before they arise or fix them before they become big issues that slow your business down.

However, there are some problems that cannot be predicted. They are bound to arise without notice and, in those cases, it helps to have a backup plan to nip the issue in the bud.

That’s where the help desk comes into play.

A help desk is a resource designed to provide IT users with information and assistance regarding problems with their IT infrastructure. So when a problem arises you’ll have a resource to troubleshoot the issue and resolve it.

A help desk can take many forms. Sometimes it’s a person sitting behind a desk. Sometimes it’s a call-center. Sometimes, it’s simply a list of questions and answers posted online to help IT users solve technology-related issues.

What makes AMRCON’s help desk so great?

AMRCON’s ultimate goal is to help your business succeed no matter what. This includes helping you keep your IT expenses in check. Sending an IT technician to your office doesn’t make sense if the problem can be fixed remotely.

Our help desk is designed to fix minor problems before they become big problems. No matter the time of day, our on-demand support team will be available to assist you in resolving your technology issues. We offer 24/7 support along with network monitoring and alerting so problems can be identified and fixed right away.

If this sounds like a service you think your business would benefit from, contact us to learn more.

You may be surprised to learn that a large number of businesses are turning to a Managed IT Support model to increase the effectiveness of their IT Support and lower their overall costs.

That’s because Managed IT Support models are designed to maintain and optimize the health of your network rather than wait for problems to arise. The result is that your business will experience far less breakdowns that lead to expensive visits from IT tech support.

Even when things do go wrong, a Managed IT Support provider should have a fully staffed Help Desk available 24/7 to offer phone and remote support to nip issues in the bud before they turn into big problems that threaten business continuity.

4 Benefits of Managed IT Support Services

So what are the major benefits of Managed IT Support? Here are just four benefits that are sure to appeal to any business owner who doesn’t have time to worry about his or her IT network.

1. Expertise—a great Managed IT Support team is made up of experienced consultants with a wide range of expertise in the IT industry.
2. Cost-effectiveness—Managed IT Support providers continually monitor and maintain the health of your network so you don’t have to spend a bunch of money on damage control.
3. 24/7 Support—when problems do arise, a great Managed IT Support provider will be available to troubleshoot your problem remotely at any time of day.
4. Peace of Mind—when you don’t have to spend your time worrying about your IT infrastructure, you can think more about running your business and supporting your clients.

To find out if Managed IT Support Services are a good fit for your business, contact us today.

I guess first things first. Our little Domenica turned 6 months old just the other day. I can’t believe it.

Can anyone tell me how I can slow this growing stuff down?!

I mean just the other day Santino asked me if he could come work for me so he could earn some money. He said he has a few things he really wants to buy. I told him the hours and how much I would pay him and I found myself in negotiations with my 5 year old for 15 minutes. I have to tell you he made some good points.

This month in tech history:

1971 – Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard hits the first golf ball on the Moon. With only 1/6th the gravity, I wonder what that really looked like.

1985 – Steve Wozniak decides to leave Apple. He remained a shareholder on the board but he comes back when Gil Amelio takes the reigns.

1998 – AOL takes over CompuServe. Does anyone remember what either of these companies do? lol

2008 – Microsoft makes an official bid for Yahoo! Hmm, see what happened after that?

AMRCON is gearing up for quite a year.

We announced, at the beginning of the year, our merger with MDP, and we’ve been very excited to meet and work with so many new clients.

Along with our ODS Managed Services clients, it seems IT projects and professional services have been warming up quite a bit. For the past few years this side of the IT industry has been very slow due to the economy. If an increase in new projects is any indicator of an economic turnaround, then it should be an interesting year.

I hope everyone is off to a great start. Check in with you again next month.

Sincerely,

Dee Rudko, CEO