(Tested w/ Avaya 9620L & Sonicwall TZ210 w/ 5.8.1 firmware)

Settings:

VPN Vendor: Other

Gateway Address: Sonicwall WAN IP

AUTH. TYPE

PSK with XAUTH

USER CRED.

VPN User Type: Any

VPN User: <Local Username from Sonicwall> (Created under “Local Users” in SW interface)

Password Type: Save in Flash

PASSWORD ENTRY

<Sonicwall Local User Password>

IKE PSK

IKE ID: GroupVPN (Case Sensitive)

Pre-Shared Key (PSK): <Your GroupVPN Shared Secret> (Case Sensitive [NOTE: You have to advance forward with the right arrow when entering letters that are on the same key – this can be painful)

IKE PHASE 1

IKE ID: FQDN

IKE Xchg Mode: Aggressive

IKE DH Group – 2

IKE Encryption Alg: Any

IKE Auth. Alg. Any

Ike Config Mode: Disabled

IKE Phase 2

IPSec PFS DH Group: No PFS

IPSec Encryption Alg: Any

IPSec Auth Alg. Any

Protected Network: <Example: 192.168.42.0/24>

IKE Over TCP

Ike Over TCP: Auto

Have you ever taken a moment to imagine what would happen if you lost some or all of your computer files? Whether you only use your computer for personal reasons; or for school or work, file or data loss can be devastating! Think of all of those family photographs, music files or class assignments! Think of the report you spent weeks working on. Some files can be replaced with time and effort, while others (particularly your photos or home videos) cannot.

Numerous reports tell us that over a third of computer users don’t back up their files; and of those that actually do perform some data backup – 76% of people don’t do it often enough.

Most people tend to think computer files are lost only due to catastrophic events – like tornadoes and hurricanes. Don’t forget about slightly more common events, including fire, flood or computer viruses. A computer "disaster" does not necessarily have to be one from Mother Nature, either. Suppose you dropped your laptop down the stairs or spilled your coffee on the keyboard?

Losing personal files is devastating because of their sentimental value – while business owners who rely on content and files can consider the loss of data fatal to their business if they don’t have a data backup plan in place.

Before Disaster Strikes

Just like many human health issues can be prevented with proper diet and care, having a complete backup plan in place can prevent disaster from occurring to your precious data. Data backup isn’t as complicated or expensive as you might believe. It is far easier to back up your files to be able to restore them after something damages your computer, than it is to recover them after disaster strikes. Consider a data backup plan to be your computer’s insurance policy!

Picking Up The Pieces

If you’ve already experienced the loss of data and you hadn’t backed up your data and files, you’ll need to use data recovery services to recover as much of the lost information as possible. Data recovery makes it possible to save some of the data from damaged, corrupted or failed storage devices, but it’s expensive, and you may never recover 100% of the data you’ve lost.

Data Backup and Recovery Solution

Your best solution is to use a remote data backup system. This will backup and store your data files and information at regularly scheduled intervals to an online data store accessed via the web. Your backed-up information can then be restored to any computer if your computer’s hard disk fails, or if it has been attacked by a virus, or physically damaged. Some people back up their files to CDs or flash drives – and then keep these storage devices in the same location as the computer. If there is a natural disaster, chances are the computer and the backup copies will be ruined.

Remote data backup services exist for both personal computer users and businesses of all sizes. Prices range from very reasonable to very expensive – based on how much storage you require and other factors. Prevention is the best medicine – give yourself peace of mind with a data backup insurance policy for your computer files.

Content by Managed Services Provider University

Instead of letting your technology investments continue on underutilized, here are 4 tips for getting the most out of your technology dollars:

1. Put the client in the driver’s seat of communication.

You can improve the quality of customer service offered by your company through the use of simple technology. The more connected you are to your clients, the happier they are with your work. Use technology to give your clients a way to initiate discussion with you, either through blog interaction or a discussion forum. Set up instant messaging so clients can contact appropriate staff members as necessary. It’s simple technology, but will result in improved client retention, repeat customers and better communication.

2. Create a business culture of continuous improvement.

One of the most amazing aspects of technology is how quickly it is updated and improved. Just when you think you have the best of the best, new technologies and processes are created to improve productivity. Even in the sometimes mundane office environments, new ideas will enhance efficiency and productivity. Encourage staff and consultants to let the new ideas flow – continuous improvement is the key for making the most out of your technology.

3. Take advantage of training opportunities.

If the cost of sending staff to training courses is a bit much, and you’re unable to conduct monthly training seminars on your own – consider bringing in vendors and experts whenever a new version of software is released. You can also have managed service providers deliver training virtually as needed, in order to keep your staff up to date with the programs and tools used in the office.

4. Internal email newsletters with tips.

Most businesses recognize the value of sending newsletters to their clients to keep in touch and establish relationships, but what about internal newsletters among staff members? Send a weekly email to your staff with a single technology tip that explains how to do something that will improve their productivity or make their lives a little easier. Keep it fun and add a cartoon or a quick quiz to keep the staff looking forward to their weekly newsletter. Your ideas for topics can come from training and seminars you attend, or from questions staff ask the IT department. If one person doesn’t understand something, there are probably a few others who also don’t understand – but aren’t speaking up about it.

Content by Managed Services Provider University

If you still think natural disasters are the leading causes of data loss – and that the chances of it happening to you are pretty slim, take a look at the results from a study by Strategic Research Corporation of the leading causes of business continuity and disaster recovery incidents:

• Hardware Failures (servers, switches, disk drives, etc) – 44%.
• Human Error (mistakes in configurations, wrong commands issued, etc) 32%
• Software Errors (operating systems, driver incompatibility, etc)14%
• Viruses and Security Breach (unprotected systems are always at risk) 7%
• Natural Disasters 3%

Establishing a disaster recovery plan can be done in the following four steps:

1) Take a potential risk inventory. Make a list of every potential cause of data loss and the solutions to each. Your list should include losses that won’t affect the business very much, and those that would shut the business down temporarily or permanently. Information Technology experts can assist you with creating the potential risk inventory – as they will have the knowledge and experience to identify possibilities that you are not likely to think of but need to plan for all the same. These IT experts will also be able discuss preventative solutions to guard against each type of potential data loss.

2) Rate each of your potential data loss situations. How likely is it for each of the items on your risk inventory to occur? Rating them in order of importance and likeliness to occur will help you determine where to focus your disaster recovery plan efforts.

3) Develop your disaster recovery plan. Go through each of your potential risks and their solutions, and determine how long it would take you to recover from the loss of data for each risk. Could your business be offline for 24 hours? A week? Depending on the nature of your business, being offline for even just 24 hours could result in your losing customers to your competition. Look at ways to reduce the length of time it would take you to recover from each type of data loss risk.

4) Put your disaster recovery plan to the test. Once you’ve created your plan of action for recovering lost data, you should test your solutions. A disaster recovery plan is just a plan until it can be tested and proven.

Content by Managed Services Provider University

Another emerging concept that has the power to change how we perform tasks is taking place before us as well, and it is called ‘cloud computing.’ Simply put, it is the ability to use resources and tools via the Internet without actually owning or being near them. The only requirement is to be able to access them.

The term ‘cloud’ is used to indicate the whole of computing services accessible via the Internet. It is an all-encompassing description of the complex internet-connected networks that exist in datacenters all over the world that power services and applications behind the scenes.

The concept of utilizing resources in these networks is being adopted by businesses both large and small. These resources are categorized to describe their function, and include:

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
3. Software as a Service (SaaS)
4. Web 2.0

In the most general terms, Infrastructure as a Service means that companies may no longer need to own and house their own back-end servers and other network computing infrastructure besides an internet-connected PC or laptop in order to maintain business functionality. This capability can be purchased on a subscription basis from entities that market these services in a ‘virtual’ manner. This allows businesses to keep their costs low by not having to purchase, maintain and recycle their own equipment for this purpose, and also mitigates the possibility of business interruption due to the highly available nature of these solutions. This equates to increased uptime and profitability for Infrastructure as a Service customers.

Platform as a Service is also known as ‘cloudware’, and refers to the availability of development tools in creating web applications and services to the end user. Like IaaS, you never ’see’ the inner-workings of this environment unless you are a computer programmer or IT resource, but it exists nonetheless and again affords those who use these tools the ability to reduce costs while running their businesses.

Sofware as a Service is defined as software applications that are subscribed to and accessed only through the Internet, and not installed on local PCs or laptops. Applications built by and accessed via Google fall into this category, as well as the many photo sites to which you can upload your pictures and videos, edit and share them with others. These solutions are gaining tremendous popularity, because end users do not need to install, update and maintain software locally – only connect to it and use it when the need arises.

Web 2.0 describes the whole of the social networking movement on the Internet, and includes but is not limited to destinations such as Facebook, MySpace, eHarmony, LinkedIn and Twitter. These sites offer the ability for people all over the world to share common interests, stay connected and learn more about each other – and these sites aren’t just for the young. Statistics show that the over 50 generation is logging onto these sites in greater numbers than ever before. In fact, in one month alone, Facebook adds over 17,000 new members.

The next time you are on the Internet and upload a photograph and use the online tools to modify that picture, you are participating in ‘cloud computing.’ The picture is probably loaded to a site that uses IaaS for their servers, PaaS in order to provide the visual interface in which you modify the photograph, and SaaS applications you’ll use to access your email program and social networking sites in order to send it to or post it for those with whom you would like to share the picture.

Content by Managed Services Provider University

Many wireless routers available at local big-box stores are unsecured right out of the box. The reasoning for this is that the less complicated the manufacturer can make the configuration of their product, the less potential frustration for the end user – but this is a double edged sword as ease of use and security tend to be mutually exclusive.

Some simple things you can do to secure a wireless router are as follows:

1.) Change the default configuration.

This should be the first thing you do with a new router. Every manufacturer ships their devices with a default username and password as well as a default SSID (which is the "name" of your wireless network). Change the password and wireless SSID (or name) in the router’s configuration. Many routers will include a CD that will help you to configure these parameters. If you have questions, consult the manufacturer for specific instructions.

Also, its never a good idea to name your wireless network based on your address, business name or last name. This just gives any potential attacker even more information. Its always best to use a non-identifiable name.

2.) Enable encryption -

All wireless routers will support some kind of encryption. The three most popular are WEP, WPA and WPA2. Of these three, WPA2 is the most secure. WEP and WPA have some inherent technical weaknesses that can allow, even a novice hacker to circumvent relatively easily (which, in this case is very relative). Encryption can be enabled either by accessing your router’s configuration interface via a Web Browser from your computer or by using the manufacturer’s supplied CDs. Enabling encryption will prevent the casual would-be thief from accessing your wireless network but as the old adage goes, where there is a will, there’s a way – which is a resonating undertone to all things computer security related. For businesses or individuals dealing in highly-sensitive information, basic encryption is not enough. Businesses should always consult an IT professional before setting up wireless access to their computer networks and/or information systems.

Doing these two things will go a long way to secure a person’s home network.

With all of the Advertisement Sharing Services that websites are using nowadays, it makes it harder for major websites to control content being displayed on their sites. What I’m getting at is that these exploits can sometimes come from big name, legitimate sites and not some shady back-alley website as you might expect – this is affectionately referred to as malvertizing. See: MSN Norway serving Flash exploits through malvertising and MySpace, Excite, and Blick Serve Up Malicious Banner Ads and Rogue ads pushing malware — how it works.

This specific vulnerability affects Mac, PC, Unix and Solaris Operating Systems. There is no known software patch for this issue – Adobe has announced that they are working on it. However, there is a workaround.

Mitigation techniques are discussed here on Adobe’s official Security Bulletin: http://www.adobe.com/support/security/advisories/apsa10-01.html

Clients of Teklogic that are on a Netcare plan have this workaround in place and are already protected. If you do not have a Netcare plan or are not a client of Teklogic’s please Contact Us and we will get you fixed up.

Thanks!

: — Justin Carter
: — Teklogic, Inc.
: www.Teklogic.net

Reduce Costs – Go Green…

Modern Desktop PCs will consume up to 55% less power – this coupled with Power Management Plans from Teklogic can significantly reduce your cost of ownership – far below the costs of keeping old desktops limping along.

Maximize Uptime – Be More Productive

Its a fact that PCs older than three (3) years experience much more downtime than new ones. With a new PC you can experience more uptime, which in turns means more productivity.

Modern PCs are Faster – Get More Done…

Modern “Core 2 Duo” desktops running Windows 7 can run nearly 3 times faster than your old PC – enabling you to get more done – which means real bottom-line dollars for your company.

Leverage Modern Technology – Wait Less…

Windows 7 Professional features like Quicklook 3 and Quickweb, make it possible to access vital information on your desktop or the web in a matter of seconds, without having to boot it up. Also, Windows 7 has been engineered to startup, shut down, sleep and Hibernate faster than its predecessors – which means less time waiting.

Replacing Your PC Can Get You Organized.

Swapping your PC for a new one gives you an opportunity to organize your information, review your processes and clean things up. When we are swapping clients PCs for modern Windows 7 desktops, we will demonstrate how you can take advantage of features like Aero Peek, the new Windows 7 Taskbar and Start Menu to access your information faster – and in a more organized fashion.

Modern Operating Systems are More Secure

The out-of-the-box configuration of modern Operating Systems like Windows 7 are more secure than previous versions. Features like Windows Bit Locker can encrypt your files – even USB Drives. New User Account Controls can prevent drive-by-downloads that infect your computer with nasty malware and spyware.

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If you want to talk about how we can make the PC upgrade process simple and painless for your company – let us know.

Yours Technically,

Justin Carter

• Speed up your Windows Vista / Windows 7 Computer – There is a feature called ReadyBoost present in Vista and Windows 7 that will allow you to use a USB drive to essentially increase the speed of your computer. ReadyBoost creates an extra cache memory on your USB drive. It does seem to be more beneficial to older computers or heavy multi-taskers. Instructions – Windows Vista and Windows 7
• Portable Firefox – Now I’m no Firefox zealot by any stretch but with Portable Firefox, you can take your bookmarks, settings, and plugins with you – basically your whole web browsing “experience” on your thumb-drive. More information and download here.
• Make your files portable and back them up at the same time – Microsoft has a tool they have released called Microsoft Synctoy. With this tool you can configure your computer to automatically synchronize the documents on your PC with your flash drive. This ensures you always have the most up-to-date copy in both locations allowing you to pop out the drive and roll knowing your stuff is all there – and when you bring it back it will update your PC with the changes. Instructions and Download
• Create a suite of Portable Applications to use Anywhere – A portable application is simply a program that will run without being installed – you can use your USB drive to contain the applications and settings and use any computer to run them. PortableApps.com has created a single download that you can extract to your USB drive and have access to 147 different portable applications to run off your USB Drive. This is an awesome compilation that allows you to get all the apps in one download – More Information and download here
• Backup and Encrypt your files – Using the portable version of TrueCrypt (included in PortableApps.com’s package)and Microsoft SyncToy (mentioned above) you can create an encrypted, portably accessible backup of your computer’s files.

Happy Holidays to everyone from your friends at Teklogic!