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Who Wants A Brand-NEW, High-Definition 40-Inch Flat-Screen TV...Absolutely FREE?!
Lauren was recently recognized as one of The Business Review's 40 Under Forty! Let his "40" get you a "40". . .inch TV that is!
All you have to do to win a totally cool, flat-screen TV is be the client who refers the most people to us before Friday, September 14. That's all! Go to www.groffnetworks.com/referral for more information, and enter today!
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SAVE THE DATE
We're throwing a party for YOU!
Friday, September 14, 4 p.m. until ???Location TBD
Annual Appreciation Event for clients, friends and family
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Alert: The Internet Has Run
Out of IP Addresses!
Although it sounds like a Nigerian Internet scam, it's true. With millions of people coming online, the number of IP addresses is exhausted and a new standard for identifying computers and devices has come online: IPv6. So, what is an "IP" address anyway and what will this NEW addressing system mean to you? First, let's start at the beginning:
Every computer or device on a network has a unique identifier known as an IP address. This address is just like your home address; it acts as a unique identifier so other computers can send and receive information to you. Most computer networks, including all computers connected to the Internet, use the TCP/IP protocol to communicate (think of it as the common language all computers use to talk to one another). The IP part of the "TCP/IP" is your IP address or unique identification number. In order for all communication to work, every computer connected to the Internet or within its own private network must have a unique IP address.
Until the recent IPv6, there was only one standard for an IP address, which is made up of four groups of numbers separated by dots. For example: 216.27.61.137. This numbering convention gave us 232 possible combinations, or 4.3 billion unique addresses. Back in the early 1980s when the Internet was just getting rolling, that was considered more than enough. Now with well over a billion people online and each person owning multiple devices requiring an IP address, 4.3 billion just isn't enough.
IPv6 uses a 128-bit addressing system (where IPv4 used a 32-bit addressing system), creating a massive number of possible new addresses and combinations. That massive new total is 2 to the 128 power, or 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456. (How would you even say that number?)
Fortunately, most devices and PCs manufactured within the last five years should have no problem processing IPv6 addresses. However, older legacy systems that were engineered without IPv6 in mind will have problems. The companies most affected will be companies providing mobile devices and ISPs, particularly those in emerging markets who are bringing on thousands of new customers for cable TV, smartphones and voice-over-IP phone systems. Of course, our clients won't have to worry since we're keeping up-to-date on IPv6 for you. If you have any questions regarding IPv6 and how it will affect you, give us a call at: 518-320-8906.
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Employee Profile: Meet Dave!
David Zuckerman is often the first voice you hear at Groff NetWorks. He is our Business Development Associate, gathering leads and setting up sales appointments. He studied physics and economics at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Penn. He volunteers on the ski patrol at Okemo in Ludlow, Vt. every winter. (He has been skiing since he was four years old!) Dave's father is from the Bronx (walking distance from the Stadium) so, of course, David is a Yankees fan... and a Jets fan, too, for that matter. Dave does most of the cooking for him and his wife, Becka. He gets most of his recipes from his father, and most of those recipes are from his mother, The Silver Palate Cookbook, and the New York Times.
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Win Movie Tickets!
Congratulations to Annette G. Wheat, firm manager at T.M. Byxbee Company, CPAs, P.C. in Albany. She was the first to correctly answer last month's trivia quiz: Which of these U.S. Presidents died on July 4th? a) John Adams b) Thomas Jefferson c) James Monroe d) All of the above The correct answer is:(d) All of the above. Would you like to win a pair of movie tickets? Be the first to answer this month's trivia question: What began its association with sports in 1927 through advertising on a wall of a minor league baseball park? a) Gatorade b) Wheaties c) Ball Park hot dogs d) Budweiser E-mail us right now with your answer at: trivia@groffnetworks.com Please note: One prize per entrant per year. Entrants who have won a trivia contest in the last 12 months are ineligible to compete for prizes.
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Bring Your Own Device To Work:
Good or Bad Idea?
You've heard of the term "BYOB". Have you heard of "BYOD" (bring your own device), in which employees are bringing their smartphones, tablets and other devices to work?
Considering the cost of new hardware, this trend seems pretty attractive for small business owners. Employees show up, already equipped, with the devices they need to work; you just give them a username and password, and you're off to the races without as many out-of-pocket expenses as before. Plus, the employees are more than happy because they get to continue to use their device of choice. Cool? Maybe...
In many cases, this strategy is causing IT departments to work overtime to keep their network secure and data out of the wrong hands. For example, IBM started allowing employees to BYOD back in 2010. Approximately 80,000 of their 400,000 employees started using non-company owned smartphones and tablets to access internal networks. But instead of IBM saving money, this situation actually increased costs in certain areas, namely in the management and security of those devices. Because of this, IBM has established guidelines on which apps the employees can or can't use. In addition, employee-owned devices are configured so that they can be wiped remotely in case devices are stolen or misplaced prior to being granted access to internal networks. Cloud-based file-transfer programs such as iCloud, Dropbox and even Siri, the voice-activated personal assistant, are not allowed. Employees with greater access to internal applications and files will also have their smartphones equipped with additional software that performs the appropriate data encryption.
The bottom line is this: If you are going to allow employees to use their own personal devices to connect to your network, you need to establish written policies about what they can and cannot do with their devices. You also need 24/7 monitoring of the device to ensure that security updates are in place. For more information on how we can monitor and manage ALL the devices connected to your network, give us a call at: 518-320-8906.
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Shiny New Gadget
Of The Month
iRig MIC Cast
Portable Microphone
If you need to make voice recordings on the go for a Podcast, an in-person interview or even recording a presentation, your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad isn't the best option, because their built-in microphones are not designed to record high-quality audio.
For those occasions where quality matters, we recommend using the iRig MIC Cast with your iOS device. This small microphone plugs into your iPhone, iPod or iPad and turns it into a mini recording studio with the ability to capture high-quality audio. Best of all, it's tiny and light, so it's easy to carry around for those impromptu opportunities that arise.
The iRig also comes with a mini stand for your device, so you can conveniently prop it up on a table. It provides real-time monitoring of what's being recorded and works with all regular phone calls and voice-over-IP app.
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Lauren's Corner
I recently went to Philadelphia for the annual Schnizzfest... Here I am jumping off the stage, hoping to win a contest. Who says it's all work and no play?
On the home front, Hannah's eating everything in sight! How much should I expand our weekly grocery budget, now that we have four kids eating us out of house and home? 
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Office Notes
Welcome to our newest client!
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