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In the June 2010 Issue
Don't get zapped
Facebook security
Risk from workers who steal
Meet the Tobin Staff
TIP: Sort messages in Outlook
Microsoft Product Lifecycle
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The goal of our newsletter is to provide information about emerging technology, present money-saving and efficiency-improving ideas, and offer tips that will help you get more out of your computers.
 
For topic suggestions and feedback, please send an e-mail to info@tobinsolutions.com
 
Don't Get Zapped 
lightningThis time of year brings severe weather to Wisconsin, and 70% of power outages are caused by storms. 
 
In fact, one Tobin Solutions' customer loses utility power every few weeks on average.
 
In addition to causing outages, lightning strikes (25 million occur in the US every year) can send power surges into computer systems through electrical, phone, and internet lines and damage or destroy servers, workstations, routers, and switches. Even if your hardware survives, you could lose data.
 
Battery-powered devices called Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are available to protect your equipment and data. If you experience a power outage, these devices have batteries that kick in and power equipment until it can be shut down safely. An alarm lets you know when the UPS has taken over.
 
The surge protectors and power strips with surge suppression do not provide permanent protection. They can be damaged after a major power surge or repeated smaller surges and will no longer work. It is a good idea to periodically replace them.
 
Don't forget about your home computers and entertainment systems. They, too, are vulnerable and need protection.
Facebook Security: Maintain Your Privacy 
Facebook helps people communicate and stay in touch, but it doesn't guaranty privacy.
 
It's important to know that Facebook may make changes to its global privacy settings that affect what displays on your page. This is why it is prudent to monitor Facebook's ever-changing security system.
 
Take a few minutes to check what your page looks like by searching for yourself in a browser. You'll see your page as others do. You might be surprised by how much personal information is being disclosed.
 
Then check your Facebook account and privacy settings. Go through the options of every item so the results are what you expect. Continue to periodically check your page display and account settings to make sure your privacy is protected.
Risk from Workers Who Steal Company Data
security_lockIntellectual property is vulnerable to theft when someone resigns from your company or organization. Unfortunately many employees are willing to take data with them when they leave.
 
According to a survey of financial industry workers conducted by Cyber-Ark:
- 85% say they would take data even though they know it is illegal to do so; 
- 41% admit to having taken data when they changed jobs; 
- 26% would pass on company information to friends or family to help them get jobs; and 
- 39% say they would download data if their jobs were at risk. 
 
Full-time employees might be a greater threat than part-timers. Upon leaving, they tend to take customer and contact lists, plans and proposals, and access codes and passwords.
Immediately disconnecting an ex-employee's access to the network and computer files is a good first step toward guarding against data theft or misuse. In addition, a variety of technology and software solutions are available to audit and monitor access to data and systems to reduce your risk.
 
Tobin Solutions can help you identify security gaps and recommend products and procedures that protect your data and systems.
  
Meet the Tobin Staff...
Ryan Zalewski 
Ever been curious about the person  behind the voice on the phone when you call for service?
Ryan Zalewski is a Tobin Solutions engineer who answers many helpdesk questions. 
He has an Associate Degree in Computer Network Systems and 20+ years of practical computer experience, including 8 years of service support, 3 of them at Tobin Solutions. His specialty is server installations.
Ryan says "the computer know-how I've developed helps me resolve client issues efficiently and effectively."
To avoid being too 'geeky,' he enjoys outdoor activities like camping and canoeing, and indoor activities such as playing drums and doing home remodeling.
TIP: Sorting E-mail Messages in Outlook
Mail can be sorted in the Outlook Inbox by Date, Subject, From, and other 'fields.'
- When the Reading Pane is to the right of the message list, click the "Arrange By:" header just above the list of messages. Pick the field to sort by.
- When the Reading Pane is set for the bottom of the window, click the field header above the message list. For example, clicking the "Subject" header label will sort the messages in alphabetical order by subject.
- The active sort header has a small triangle next to the label. The direction of the tip of the triangle indicates the sort order. Click the header a second time to reverse the order.
Microsoft Product Lifecycle 

Are you sure Microsoft still supports the applications your business depends on?

 

The support for their programs does not last forever. From the initial release of a product the clock starts ticking.

 

*Business product support is provided at two levels, Mainstream and Extended, for a minimum of 10 years.

 

*Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products are supported for a minimum of 5 years.

 

*Service Packs that correct problems and improve security are supported for up to 24 months after the release of the next service pack.

 

Here are some popular Microsoft products and support end dates: 

 

Product

Mainstream

Extended

Windows 2000 Pro

Done

July 2010

Windows XP Pro

Done

April 2010

Windows Vista

April 2012

April 2017

Office XP

Done

July 2011

Office 2003

Done

April 2014

Office 2007

April 2012

April 2017

 

Go to these sites for more detailed information:

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/ for definitions of the support levels and
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselect  for specific products.

 

Tobin Solutions can assist with upgrading all programs and provide training to get users up to speed quickly on new versions.

We sincerely hope you appreciate our service as much as we appreciate your business!
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