The Tekblog

We are always on the watch for the ‘next best thing’ when it comes to technology and the Internet. Certainly no one can doubt that the next generation of the Internet (known as Web 2.0) has had a dramatic affect on how people interact and connect with each other – both from an individual standpoint and a business one.

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

This is a great video I ran across. It is put out by an IT company “Vital Networks” – excellent idea. At Teklogic, we have been considering doing an Office Space spoof…

Anyway – this is a classic.

We’ve heard this before, but it seems likely that after this date it will become much more of an effort to acquire a new computer preinstalled with Windows XP. We still have the option for what Microsoft refers to as a “Downgrade License” but this will require manually loading the Operating System yourself.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/dell-lays-down-the-law-no-more-windows-xp-shipments-after-octob/

With the current projections putting Hurricane Earl squarely at Hampton Roads’ doorstep  by Thursday early-afternoon, its a good time to go over what you want to be concerned with regarding your computer networks in lieu of the upcoming storms.

When in a low-lying, coastal area like most of Hampton Roads, our biggest concern comes from flooding. Be sure that if you are in an even remotely vulnerable flooding area, that your servers and computers are off the ground.

Some other questions we think are prudent-

Q: Should we unplug our computers?
A: Yes, we think this is a good idea, especially for critical systems. PCs will be virtually immune to power-related issues if they are not plugged in. If the computer is plugged into a line-conditioning battery backup, this is not as much of an issue.

Q: Should we turn off our computer?
A: Turning the system off does not technically protect it from a lightning surge; unplug it for the best protection.

Q: Should we turn off / unplug our servers?
A: If your server is protected by a properly configured, line-conditioning battery backup, this is not necessary or desirable in most cases.

You also want to be sure you have a fully verified and restorable backup stored offsite in case something happens to your on site backup.

For those clients who have a Netcare plan in place with Teklogic, we will be getting in touch with you over the course of today and tomorrow to go over last minute preparations specific to your environment. We will be proactively logging into servers and checking backups, power conditioning devices and server configurations.  If anyone has additional concerns please do not hesitate to get in touch with our office @ 757-644-4402.

Did you know that the peak of “Hurricane season” is considered from the beginning of August to the end of October?

If you are a business that is not on a technology management plan with Teklogic and you are interested in having us proactively maintain things for you, let us know! Teklogic specializes in offsite backups and disaster recovery planning for your business – give us a call today!

Have you ever worried about what information may be saved to your computer? Maybe you recorded a credit card number or a Social Security number and saved it somewhere, unprotected?

Free Windows utility, Identity Finder scans your hard drive looking for sensitive information, like credit card numbers and passwords. The utility will bring the information to your attention so that you can do something about it – perhaps moving it to a more appropriate location.  The “Pro” version of the application will allow you to encrypt and store this information safely. 

Knowing what information you have stored out there is the first step to securing it. Securing the information is especially important for laptop users who could be susceptible to loss or theft.

Hope this helps.

-Justin

Microsoft has a free document template repository that contains everything from fax cover sheets to brochures. This is a great tool for any business to leverage that will save time and make your life easier.

Accessing this repository is easy and can be done from right within the Microsoft Office software suite. They have even produced a short series of videos to get you started – RIGHT HERE.

This is a great time saver – I know I’ve used this more than once when the need arose to draft a new type of document. You can browse all of the available templates right within Office or you can visit the Microsoft Office Templates Site.

I was contacted by a 13 News reporter recently and asked if he could interview me for a news story they were doing. This story was in light of Google’s recent admission that they collected data about unsecured wireless access points while taking pictures around Hampton Roads for Google’s “Street View” service. Long story short, the interview never happened, but I wrote this brief article to go along with the story:

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.

One of the most common ways your computer can become infected with Malware, Spyware or Viruses is through a security vulnerability. What happens is that an unsuspecting user clicks on a malicious link. This malicious code is specially crafted to exploit a known security vulnerability in a commonly used component or application – in this case, Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Acrobat PDF software.

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

Have you ever needed to send a file to someone through e-mail but found it was too large to be attached? Perhaps this is a collection of pictures, a CAD drawing or the contents of a CD. The free service “WeTransfer” will allow you to upload your files to their servers and then distribute a link to your recipients for download. There are many such services out there but most are not user friendly. I found this service to be very easy to use as well as very artistically designed.

This service does limit you to 2GB of attached data – but I suspect this will suffice for most people.

Next time you find yourself needing to send large files to someone, give this service a shot.

https://www.wetransfer.com/ 

Thanks,

-Justin

Microsoft has a free add-in for the Office 2007 suite that allows you to export any office document to PDF. You just need to download the add-in from here and install it. You will then see an option to “Save As” PDF from the "Save As” menu.

This is a great way to get any Office document into PDF format, and best of all, its free!

Unfortunately this add-in will not work in previous versions of Office (2003, XP or 2000).