Posted on Wed, May 16, 2012 @ 02:57 PM
SonicWALL's latest firewall platform, known as the SuperMassive E-10000 Series is engineered to support large computer networks and operates at the multi-gigabyte speeds needed in today's cutting-edge computing environment. SuperMassive combines SonicWALL's patented deep packet inspection routines known as Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection (RFDPI) with multi-core processing architecture in order to provide excellent control of applications and prevention of intrusion.
RFDIP Technology
The SuperMassive platform follows a security protocol that includes full content inspection. This means that every individual bit in a packet that forms part of a data stream is scanned. Using this method, SuperMassive is able to detect threats before they are allowed access to the network. RFDPI technology also includes complete inspection of traffic encrypted with SSL. This deep security method is a key part of SuperMassive's ability to help keep your company systems and data fully secure from outside threats such as malware and viruses.
More than "Just a Firewall"
Business enterprises must address multiple concerns simultaneously. When it comes to the use of IT solutions, sometimes one concern can interfere with another. This is the case, for example, when a new piece of essential hardware solves one issue while causing power consumption to spike in ways that interfere with business goals. SonicWALL has designed the SuperMassive series to meet several core business needs at once. Not only does the newly launched platform deliver excellent threat prevention, it does so while keeping power consumption, space requirements, and cooling needs in mind.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Wed, May 16, 2012 @ 10:08 AM
Cost is possibly the most important criteria when deciding to outsource services, IT or otherwise. However while cost is important, perhaps equally important is location.
Until recently, many businesses began outsourcing in countries (such as India) where costs, particularly employment costs, were lower. However while this may seem more viable than outsourcing in your home country, it may not always be the wisest idea.
The idea of keeping centers closer to home has become something German businesses are developing. For instance, one German company (ssonetwork.com) decided to locate its center in Poland rather than Asia. Spokesperson Eva-Maria Winterol commented: “We are definitely seeing a broadening of options for German companies.”
Winterol added: “Like others, German companies are only too aware of the benefits and opportunities offered by low-cost locations.”
Outsourced IT services can also be problematic unless the business is able to have some access to the systems. This is where cloud computing is beneficial. It does not matter where the main location is, provided there is an internet connection with easy access.
Germany is also unusual as it seems many companies effectively share services via hybrid infrastructures. Since the cloud has this ability to offer public, private and hybrid infrastructures, it might be something that other companies could consider.
In other words, it's no longer just a matter of deciding to outsource IT services, but also a matter of how.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Wed, May 16, 2012 @ 07:21 AM
Essentially, a managed IT service means outsourcing a team of highly competent and experienced professionals (over internal staff), to manage IT operations.
IT outsourcing is now becoming more common, particularly as cloud computing develops. In fact, using the latter is much more cost-effective than trying to store documents, multimedia files etc., on a company’s own servers.
What are the common services that can be managed?
The range is actually quite wide. For instance, it is often a good idea to back up data and other material, and not just have single copies stored on a computer hard drive. This is where the cloud comes into play - a better method over using external drives such as CD ROMs or pen drives, as these technologies can be physically damaged.
Outsourcing an IT company to store information takes the stress away of regularly looking after that data. Cloud systems also have several other advantages that internal IT systems will not have, such as allowing information to be more easily shared among staff.
Another aspect that can often be better managed by an outsourced IT company is network management. This can cover a wide range of topics, often encapsulated by the acronym FCAPS which stands for Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance and Security.
Managing these functions is now becoming costly for any business, but for small and medium sized business, the cost could outweigh the benefits of running an IT department. Consequently, it may well be a better solution to outsource a firm that specializes in managing complex IT services and systems.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Tue, May 15, 2012 @ 01:53 PM
Wireless connections to the internet are becoming increasingly popular among businesses and other organizations, in part because they allow a company to offer internet access to visitors on the premises. This can help increase sales in many types of businesses because it gives consumers an additional reason to visit the premises. Wireless access, however, is not always the best solution for internal employees who make frequent and extensive use of online resources. These individuals may be much better served by an Ethernet connection, which offers faster data access speeds than those typical of wireless environments.
One of the more recent advances in Ethernet technology is the 10-gigabit line. Companies that are leveraging IT solutions such as server clustering, advanced storage, and virtualization will find that a 10-gigabyte Ethernet line will provide them with the high levels of bandwidth needed to take full advantage of these advances. Even if none of the foregoing technologies is in place at a business, the adoption of a cloud-computing model to carry out key functions can also mean that more bandwidth becomes necessary.
Another reason to move to 10 gigabit Ethernet is that a network designed around this technology can have a simpler infrastructure. This leads to consolidation and cost savings; it may also reduce the amount of IT support time needed for ongoing administration and maintenance of the computing environment that employees depend on to complete daily workflow.
A faster Ethernet system can be set up, maintained, and monitored as part of a managed programs approach to IT support.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Tue, May 15, 2012 @ 10:20 AM
IT companies providing managed services frequently tout the benefits of moving to a cloud-based model for their computing needs. Businesses often need detailed data and statistics that will demonstrate and defend the case for such a major shift in their approach to IT solutions.
Such proof is not difficult to find. Respected organizations of the United States government such as NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratories are beginning to understand the true power that lies in a cloud-based approach to IT resources. Tomas Sonderstrom, who serves as the chief technology officer for JPL, provides an illustrative example.
Sonderstrom has revealed that JPL spent more than two weeks running its computers 24 hours a day in order to download almost 200,000 images produced by a mission to Saturn. After 15 days had elapsed, JPL still had not completed this massive project. Sonderstrom then turned to Amazon's cloud computing interface for help.
According to Sonderstrom, "We spun up 60 processors in Amazon's cloud, and we finished it in five hours for a total cost of $200. For us, that was a real validation. We took the real processing that missions would do, and we were able to start and stop it, and went from weeks to hours, and we were able to validate the costs, and we turned it off after it was done."
With success stories such as these emanating from the federal government, it is no wonder that so many companies are turning to managed services to provide them with cloud-based IT solutions.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Tue, May 15, 2012 @ 07:53 AM
Windows Operating Systems, whether installed on server or client computers in a network, benefit from having security patches applied on a regular basis. It is far from true that Windows computers, including servers, can be configured once and continue to function seamlessly thereafter. To remedy this, Microsoft regularly releases software patches for its systems. These small modules are designed to be installed into an existing OS configuration, and to repair elements of the operating system on an ongoing basis.
Some patches do more than mitigate flaws in the original OS. They also provide new protection against a growing array of threats developing in the online world. In addition, patches can provide enhanced or new functionality, making an OS more powerful than it was when it originally shipped.
Patches are best applied by IT professionals who can organize server and client patch installation using a managed programs approach. In this approach, server infrastructure can be maintained at a high level because known flaws are dealt with and eliminated as soon as patches for the issue are released by Microsoft. This is preferable over allowing end-users to update their own computers and apply patches "as time permits," a situation that will not only open an enterprise up to security risks, but which will also cause client computers to have slightly different versions of Windows running. This can cause conflicts in internal operations that a managed programs approach would have avoided.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Mon, May 14, 2012 @ 02:36 PM
The giant anti-virus company Symantec has released a new version of their Internet Security Threat Report. The study, which is published on a yearly basis, outlines the current threat environment in detail. Among the findings were some facts likely to startle employees of small and medium businesses, even those who regard themselves experienced with today's online environment threats.
Many computer users treat it as common knowledge that elicit sites are highly likely to be infected with viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or other forms of malware. Oftentimes, businesses have software in place that blocks employees for going to such sites, - which may not be the most effective solution. Instead, a managed programs model may a better solution, as software and networks are regularly monitored by experienced IT consultants to prevent such threats.
Companies that do not implement a managed programs model for IT services may be at a disadvantage due to staff who may not be as experienced as outsourced IT consultants, or be aware of the latest reports providing vital sources of information (such as Symantec's). With the assistance of managed programs staff, however, internet blacklists and web filters can be adjusted to quickly respond to newly emerging threats and intrusions.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Mon, May 14, 2012 @ 10:14 AM
If your business has outgrown its current Accounts Receivable software and needs a new one tailored to your specific needs, you will have a vital decision to make: should you allow your own staff to handle the job, or outsource it as project work to an IT consulting firm with the requisite experience?
In general, a quality IT consultant will be able to implement new technology at a lower overall cost than what would be incurred in using your own staff. Overall, this is due to the level of expertise possessed by a quality project work team. Your own staff will have to undergo a "learning curve," gaining experience from the mistakes they make along the way. In contrast, a firm that specializes in project work may have virtually no learning curve to surmount to other than gaining the necessary familiarity with the details of your specific needs.
A Cost Comparison Method
One way to identify the cost of using your own staff for IT work is to use simple mathematics. Take the hourly rate your employees would charge customers for profit-generating work such as working with new clients. Multiply that by the number of hours those employees will have to take off from profitable work in order to write software. This represents the real cost of the software they produce.
Furthermore, consider the quality issue; a project work team will be able to focus on implementing new platforms seamlessly, with low downtime and high accuracy. Your own staff may not.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Mon, May 14, 2012 @ 07:49 AM
As technology becomes ever more powerful and interconnected, firms are relying on it more every year. This means not just more computers and peripherals, but also the need for connections between these forms of technology, and the newer world of smartphones and handheld tablets. When a business becomes dependent on technology for everything from client data to customer invoicing, it has to be proactive about keeping its systems working efficiently. This is where the managed programs offered by IT outsourcing companies, like iCorps' Encompass, become invaluable.
The New World of Managed Programs
In the past, firms called in a computer technician to fix their systems only when something went wrong. Today, that strategy will lead to productivity and profit loss. Instead, it is far better to employ an expert team of IT specialists to manage your network because they have the knowledge to help prevent malfunctions before they occur.
Managed programs include remote monitoring of your systems in order to identify problems, so they can be solved before they impact the bottom line. Such services also help with administrative tasks including establishing security protocols for various layers of the organization, and keeping passwords secure. One of the most important functions of managed services is software installation and support, including migrating all computers on the network to a new platform. With managed programs, this can be accomplished with minimum disruption to office activities.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.
Posted on Fri, May 11, 2012 @ 02:27 PM
Some firms can operate well by using a managed services approach to their IT needs, but some need more of a hands-on approach. This is where a managed programs provider can be invaluable. In many situations, there is no substitute for a human being who is onsite on a regular basis. By contracting with a managed programs IT support provider, a company can have the confidence that comes from knowing a consultant is close at hand when infrastructure or network problems occur.
IT companies offering managed programs can also provide valuable advice to firm personnel about new security threats that are cropping up in the online world. Years ago, most of us learned not to click on email attachments unless we were expecting them. These days, managed programs experts are looking out for us in new ways, keeping their clients updated on how to use JavaScript blocking to keep malicious sites from launching worms and other threats. Another danger is clickjacking, where an innocent-looking link has been hijacked so it actually takes you to a malicious site.
Internally staffed employees may know little of such threats; they almost certainly will not have time to research and implement security measures on their own. Even if they try, the result will be a patchwork of protections that do little to safeguard the firm's data as a whole. A better alternative is a managed programs expert who can install JavaScript blocking add-ons into all company web browsers, and then educate employees on how to use the tool to its full potential.
Written by the IT technical staff at iCorps Technologies.