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| Issue: # 21 |
November/2009 |
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Greetings!
 One of the more curious observations of the Halloween season? That we're starting to see the holiday decorations...in October. Yup, we all know that the retail world depends heavily on the "season to be jolly."
But this strategy, "be the first jolly player on the block," seems a tad...strange. Especially since many of us are still working on trying to encourage cavities into our neighborhood kids, followed by getting our families and friends to overeat. Then we'll be jolly. Until we realize that we need 236 "D" sized batteries and we bought 236 "C" sized batteries.
And it's hard sometimes to remember that being jolly is ok, with the economy as it is, and all that. But like we said last month, we're seeing some signs of life. It encourages a mad doctor's scream - "It's Alive!!!"
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| Mark your Calendar for these upcoming events! |
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November 3rd - Tomorrow!!
Business Continuity Executive Breakfast
Simplex-IT in partnership with StorageCraft will present "How to Maximize Business Continuity and Protect Your Critical Data." StorageCraft will present topics to consider when creating a disaster recovery and data protection plan for your business and will showcase the latest version of the award-winning ShadowProtect™ line of disk-based backup, disaster recovery and system migration solutions. Join us for this free, information-packed breakfast at the Sheraton in Cuyahoga Falls!
November 4th - Richfield Chamber of Commerce
Introduction to Security
November 18th - November Lunchinar
Microsoft's new Windows Server 2008 R2
December 16th - December Lunchinar
Network Overview and Small Business Server 2008
Email or call Julie for more information! |
| A Little Bit About Simplex-IT... |
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What we offer in Business Continuity
A study conducted by the University of Texas reported that only 6% of companies that suffer a devastating data loss will survive, 43% will never reopen and 51% shut their doors permanently within two years. Taking this a step further, 93% of companies who had a disaster recovery plan in place did have to lean on it in one way or another, due to a catastrophe.
What are the sources of disasters that strike and disable smaller companies? Well, 10% are generated by humans and 30% are created by nature.
There are simple and affordable solutions in which any company can participate...you just need to know where to look and who to lean on.
Simplex-IT offers valuable and affordable solutions in backing up your data. We partner with vendors to bring you full-service solutions for both hard (disk) backup and cloud storage. We are very impressed with their protection and restoration capabilities and work closely with them to provide our clients with the utmost in data protection...and peace of mind.
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Save the Date - NOVEMBER LUNCHINAR |
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Server 2008 R2
For November's lunch event, we will be taking a look at Microsoft's new Windows Server 2008 R2. Features like new virtualization tools, Web resources, management enhancements, and Windows 7 integration will be discussed. And don't forget Internet Information Services (IIS) version 7.5, updated Server Manager and Hyper-V platforms, and Windows PowerShell version 2.0! This FREE soup-and-sandwich Lunchinar will be held on Wednesday, November 18th from 11:30a to 1:00p, at Hattie's Cafe, 164 N. Main Street in Hudson.
Our Lunchinars are catching on! Janet, who attended our SEO event commented "I learned a lot. It was very up-to-date and relevant"!
Please RSVP by calling Julie - 234-380-1277 or emailing her. |
| A Free Network Audit for you means a $25 donation to a local charity! |
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Simplex-IT teams up with Malachi House
Malachi House, located in Cleveland, was created out of a Christian sense of ministry. It serves persons who are terminally ill, without cost or regard to gender, race, religion or national origin. The home ministers to individuals who need an available caregiver, who have limited or no financial resources and are in need of special home care in the final stages of life. A trained staff and volunteers provide spiritual, emotional and physical support with the assistance of a hospice team to those who have less than 6 months to live. Over the past 21 years, Malachi House has loved and cared for 1,430 residents who would have otherwise died alone and in less than favorable circumstances. Our home receives no government funding, no insurance payments, or Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement. We operate solely on funds, goods, and services donated by the kind generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations, which is why we are so grateful to Simplex-IT for providing us with this wonderful opportunity to share our story. Simplex-IT will be supporting Malachi House by donating $25 to our home for every new referral Network Audit that YOU make happen, from now until year's end! Know a company whose IT system would benefit from Simplex-IT's services? Have them contact Julie to set up the audit and, in turn, help the residents of Malachi House.
Please visit our website www.malachihouse.org or contact us at (216) 621-8831 to learn more about our wonderful ministry. We appreciate your most thoughtful consideration of assisting us to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters in their time of need. Extending blessings to each of you, Mary Kay Stahley, Executive Director |
| What to Expect from Managed Services |
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I can truly understand a company's hesitation in trusting their IT network and infrastructure to a remote, off-campus entity. I appreciate that relying on an outside vendor to manage all of the critical information that a company generates can create a sense of worry and trepidation. As we network, present our company's philosophy and host learning events and seminars, it is our hope and initiative to educate and calm those fears and create a new sense of trust and belief in remote Information Technology Management.
Perhaps it would help if businesses knew exactly what they could (and should) be getting out of a managed services partner. Some of the obvious attributes include impeccable, responsive computer support, a staff that is up-to-date on the latest technology, and a cost savings versus hiring a full-time staff.
Some of the other features that you may not be aware of include reports on performance, utilization and network hang-ups. Such information should be available and understandable to both the technical and non-technical entities. Additionally, your provider should be able to assess the readiness of your system for upgrades to both the network and other applications such as bringing in a new database or a new VoIP phone system. Traffic patterns (including the type of traffic your network is maneuvering) should be of interest to you. Most companies are looking for ways to cut costs and check efficiencies. Trends and performance analyses should be available as this allows companies to formulate business models and prepare for upgrades and improvements as the IT system grows and advances. Too, IT relates to and relies on a company's budget, so your managed services provider should offer and be a source of information when it comes to financial analysis.
It has been reported that $14.3 billion dollars is the world-wide amount that small and midsized businesses will spend on managed services in 2009. Are you getting a good return on investment? Are you utilizing what you have in IT support optimally?
Have questions? Let me know!
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Simplex-IT Customer Spotlight 
DVUV |
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DVUV, LLC, located in Cleveland, Ohio is the innovator in UV-cured powdercoated finishes for wood and other heat sensitive substrates. They combine advanced powdercoating chemistry and UV-curing processes with over three decades of experience in finishing wood and medium density fibreboard (MDF) to deliver innovative finishes. DVUV is passionate about developing the best finishes possible for wood and MDF. That means using chemical, technological and manufacturing innovations to create surfaces that remain beautiful even with high-traffic use. And, because their finishes contain no VOCs (volatile organic compounds), they can be used without damaging the environment.
DVUV's technology opens up new design possibilities by delivering brilliant, durable color that provides seamless coverage over curvilinear shapes, contoured edges and three-dimensional surfaces. They make finished pieces to order, providing turn-key production from drawing to finished parts. Their customers work in demanding industries from medical equipment to retail interiors and they all rely on DVUV for on-time deliveries of high-quality finished parts with zero defects.
Simplex-IT and DVUV have been working together since May, 2009. Simplex-IT provides them with technical support and project work. Michael Knoblauch, President, DVUV Holdings, commented; "We are very pleased with the level of service and support that Simplex-IT is providing to us. They offered to evaluate our system, software and hardware, and made specific recommendations for maintaining our IT system and upgrades to improve performance. The transition to their support service was very easy and the ongoing support has been excellent without being intrusive. I recommend their services."
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| Telecommunications Technology |
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Multiprotocol Label Switching
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) in computer networking and telecommunications is a data-carrying mechanism that belongs to the family of packet-switched networking. MPLS was designed to provide a unified data carrying service for both circuit-based clients and packet-switching clients. It can be used to carry a variety of different types of traffic, ranging from IP packets, ATM, SONET, and Ethernet frames.
MPLS provides networks with an improved way to control applications and move information from one location to another. With the convergence of voice, data and video applications, organizations face an escalating traffic demand. MPLS is able to tag and prioritize the network traffic, so you may specify what applications should move across the network before others.
This MPLS technology has been able to improve efficiency for many different companies, one of those being ACS Industries. ACS Industries has multiple locations throughout the country - coast to coast. There is a need to share both voice and data communications between the locations. Corporate Technologies Group was able to bring efficiencies and cost reduction to ACS Industries by providing them with an MPLS network, in turn helping ACS to reduce overhead and become more competitive.
You can visit Corporate Technologies Group's website at www.ctgusa.net. If you would like more information on MPLS or have any questions contact Beth at 330.655.8448 x155 or e-mail her! |
| Free Windows 7 Book |
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Bob here. As always, whenever Microsoft introduces a new product, there's a ton of information released. And a lot of it's confusing. Windows 7 was no exception, even though the release itself was a wee-bit subdued. Click here for more. |
| $400 Microsoft Certified SQL Server Class for $25 |
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Bob here. A Microsoft Certified SQL Server 2005 class for only $25? Tuesday, December 1, one time only, Bob Coppedge of Simplex-IT has teamed up with DeVore to do some good. Your $25 donation goes to Youth Opportunities Unlimited. You receive the standard Microsoft Courseware and Microsoft Course 2789B...click here for more. |
| Want to find out about this stuff quicker? |
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| Blog updates from Simplex-IT over the past month
Remember to check out our blogs:
Somone Quoted Bob...why?
Windows 7 Info?
Brother, can you spare a...can we start with $500?
Free Windows Server 2008 eBook Moving on Up! 50 People, Windows 7 and Bob!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your Business Web Site!
Windows 7 - One more presentation!
Free Business Continuity Breakfast Event!
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| Someone Quoted Bob...why? |
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Bob here. And yup, a recent article on the IT Expert Voice site written by Daniel Dern has a quote from me. The topic was "IT Lessons Learned From Past OS Migrations."
What I find interesting (beyond my fascinating contribution <g>) is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Take most of the suggestions from the various folks (all obviously less insightful than me, of course), and the advice is as valuable when we were talking about migrating from...
Click here for more, including a link to the article. |
| Plain Funny #12 |
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| Not so funny, but darn good music!
Bob here. I enjoy music. Always have. But I have a weakness for some good improvised music, especially when there's an international flair to it. And yeah, if there's a bit of a message, all the better (die hard Harry Chapin fan, I confess).
So, no surprise that I was quite taken by the Playing for Change Foundation. I orginally saw their video " Stand by Me" on Youtube. Essentially a collaboration of a dozen or so street musicians from across the world, recorded seperately and edited together (you'll get the idea). I immediately checked out their site, and purchased the CD/DVD. Good stuff.
Several of the players are now on tour, supporting the Foundation. And on Friday evening they played in Cleveland. My wife and I, along with about 250 folks, got to see one heck of a show. Plus we supported one heck of a cause.
Not bad, all told. Not funny, but not bad.
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We'd love to hear feedback about this! Send comments to Bob@Simplex-IT.com, or call us at 234.380.1277!
Sincerely,
Bob Coppedge
Simplex-IT LLC |
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