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Computer Help: A Virtualization Overview

: September 17, 2008; We live in a world that constantly forces us to “do more with less”. Employees are expected to be more efficient. Multi-function devices are becoming the standard on many desktops. We multi-task by answering email, talking on the phone and reviewing a spreadsheet – all at the same time.

: We hope you have have successfully weathered the summer storms. Now is a good time to check your UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) devices and surge protectors because there is a good chance they have taken some voltage hits and suffered power outages.

: August 17, 2008; Do you remember when owning a car used to be simple? 20 years ago we felt competent enough to do a lot more with our cars than just fill them up with gas. It wasn’t even uncommon for the average guy to carry out some solid repairs without ever calling a mechanic. Today, it is rare to see anyone opening the hood at all. The complexity of automotive technology has grown so much that it is now easier and more cost effective to just let experts handle it and focus on enjoying the drive.

: These days, wireless computing means freedom in business. No longer must people be tethered to their desks, bound by the mass of cables and cords that connect their equipment. Wireless means work can be done beyond office walls, from anywhere there is a wireless hotspot – which these days seem to be everywhere – the airport, coffee shops, hotels, and many homes. The possibilities for mobile working increase exponentially with wireless, translating into increased productivity. At the same time, wireless introduces a new set of security issues, and all too many businesses are jumping on the wireless bandwagon before they understand the technology and all the risks associated with it.

: It’s hard not to admire the sleekness of flat-panel displays. They are a perfect example of form melding with function to create a superior product. Is it time for you to trade in your trusty cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor for a stylish new liquid crystal display (LCD) model?

: July 17, 2008; In life, when you order a meal in a restaurant, you know that the chef has received your “message” because your food arrives a short while later (provided you’ve ordered off the menu and haven’t angered the chef by making too many suggestions). When it comes to e-mail, however, things aren’t so black and white. How can you be sure that someone has received and actually read your message? To put it bluntly, you can make it easy, but you can’t make it happen. You can set it up for your recipients to let you know if they’ve read your note, but it’s really up to them. I’ll get to that in a minute. First, let’s figure out how to set up message tracking. Because if you don’t do that first, they can’t use it.

: June 17, 2008; Ergonomics is not a four-letter word — even though many business owners may think otherwise. That’s because when business people hear the word ergonomics, they immediately think of dollar signs — as in what it will cost to outfit employee workstations with new setups to prevent sometimes crippling injuries.

: Paul Sullivan has seen it all. A 25-year veteran of disaster recovery and business continuity management, Sullivan witnessed the growth of continuity planning among the Fortune 1000 in the 1980s. He watched, first hand, the successes and failures of business continuity plans following the events of September 11, 2001 and in 2005 throughout the most active hurricane season in recorded history. Today, Sullivan is helping small and medium-sized companies plan for and recover after significant business interruptions.

: May 17, 2008; You probably know what a server can do for your office. But do you know what it can do when you’re out of the office? A 2003 survey of Small Business Server users conducted by Lawrence Associates LLC offers a clue. It found that employees were able to perform an average of 20% more revenue-producing tasks, thanks in no small part to functions that allowed them to stay connected to their office computers while they were away.

: Traditionally, standard business practice for Information Technology has dictated that the primary focus of IT decisions and initiatives is based on the economic impact and viability. In other words, how much will it cost, and how much will it save me over time, and when will I recoup my investment. This mindset has started to change drastically in the last year or so, as companies adopt a Green IT mentality, and start to consider not only the economic impact of their decisions, but the environmental and social as well. The problem is, for IT, it’s not easy being green.

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