Big Sur Technologies Services Blog

Big Sur Technologies acquires Red Rover Computing Inc.

2011-12-22T12:51:00.007-05:00

Tampa Bay Business Journal by Alexis Muellner, Editor Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 2:14pm EST (http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2011/12/21/big-sur-technologies-acquires-red.html?ed=2011-12-21&s=article_du&ana=e_du_pub&page=2 )

Big Sur Technologies Inc. in Tampa is getting more robust. It has acquired Red Rover Computing Inc., also a Tampa firm.

The acquisition increases Big Sur Technologies’ footprint in the managed IT services market, and will contribute to the company’s future growth and prosperity, the company said.

Red Rover brings an established client base of more than 50 service accounts to Big Sur.

The integration of Red Rover’s clients will extend through the first quarter of 2012.

Big Sur is a managed services provider for businesses in health care, education, state and local government and small businesses. The company employs 15 and serves more than 300 customers in the central Florida area.

Drew Griffin, former owner of Red Rover, has been heavily involved in the deal, working to ensure a smooth transition for his clients, the companies said.

“Being a part of the Big Sur family will benefit our clients greatly, and broaden the product and service offering they have received from Red Rover,” said Griffin in a prepared statement.

Big Sur, founded in 1999, has found its acquisitions fruitful.

A 2009 deal led to its second best sales year in 2010, said Sam Sandusky, chief executive officer and president of Big Sur.

The deal with Red Rover developed quickly in November after Sandusky said he met with four or five other companies and none of those deals panned out.

But Sandusky said he and Griffin quickly bonded, and their teams found common ground in temperament, culture and client satisfaction.

Sandusky said he’s got feelers out for further expansion through similar deals.
It has been a good year for Big Sur. A year ago, it introduced a cloud-computing product geared for small business, as part of its offerings around optimizing data storage and cost cutting. That led to 42 percent top line revenue growth in 2010.

“I’d love to have that again,” he said. This year he expects 9 to 10 percent revenue growth.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Sandusky said he expects a 10 percent jump in service revenue from it.

Big Sur’s decision to offer the cloud services — application hosting — was executed after a lot of research, including talking to bigger data centers, which just didn’t have offerings for small businesses.

“It’s been a good niche for us,” he said

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Tampa Bay Business Journal by Alexis Muellner, Editor Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 2:14pm EST (http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2011/12/21/big-sur-technologies-acquires-red.html?ed=2011-12-21&s=article_du&ana=e_du_pub&page=2 )

Alexis Muellner Editor - Tampa Bay Business Journal

Big Sur Now Offers Same Day Server Recovery!

2011-08-04T14:29:00.004-04:00

Better to know your backup and recovery situation now—than in the middle of a crisis Data protection will cost you far less than a devastating data loss

You’ve worked hard to build your business and your data is at the heart of it. But calamity can come out of nowhere and put your business at risk, whether with a natural disaster, an act of God, human error, or just an ordinary accident.

Can your data systems withstand that kind of onslaught? Start protecting your business information—and your future—now with a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with one of our backup and recovery specialists, who can work with you to:

- Understand your backup requirements, such as transfer speeds and data size
- Analyze your current backup and recovery system
- Recommend updates and improvements
- Create a customized system that fits your business and financial needs

If you would like us to review your current backup plan, let me know!

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Making IT Easy
http://www.bigsurtech.com/
charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:

On Twitter @bigsurtech & @CharlesJLove
On Linked In @BigSurTech & @CharlesJLove
On Facebook @ BigSurTech

Big Sur is Hiring! Be apart of the growing Big Sur Managed Service Team! (Systems Engineer)

2011-07-09T23:38:00.006-04:00

Hi There, Big Sur is Hiring Again! Join the Team! We are looking for a Systems Engineer for our Managed Services and Consulting Division. Please take time to read the below posting. If you feel you are a fit for us, please send your resume, and Cover letter to jobs@bigsurtech.com. On your cover letter, be sure to include your salary requirement.

Essential Duties:
• Design and implementation at the network level: WAN and LAN connectivity, routers, firewalls, and security
• Design and implement hosted and cloud solutions for customers using technologies that meet their requirements
• Design and implement disaster recovery solutions
• IT support relating to issues with the internal systems and network infrastructure
• Support services for Microsoft related technologies: Windows Server, Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, etc.
• Support services for virtualization technologies: VMware, Citrix, and Microsoft
• Remote access solution support: VPN, Terminal Services, and Citrix

Additional Duties:
• Ability to work in a team and communicate effectively
• Escalate service or project issues that cannot be completed within agreed service levels
• Business awareness: specific knowledge of the customer and how IT relates to their business strategy and goals
• Review IT publications and online materials to remain up-to-date with current and future technologies emerging in the industry

Skills/Qualifications:
• Experience with Network Maintenance, Network Design and Implementation.
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Exceptional analytic and problem solving skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• 2+ years experience with Switches, Routers and Firewalls
• 2+ years experience with IP Networks, DNS and Routing
• 1+ years experience with VMware and Virtualization Technology
• 1+ years supporting Microsoft Windows Server 2008/2003
• 2+ years experience with Microsoft desktop O/S and Office applications
• 2+ years experience with Server and PC Hardware
• 1+ years experience with Network Monitoring and Management Tools

Our Company:
Big Sur Technologies is a leading provider of Information Technology Managed Services to a wide variety of business throughout the state of Florida. Since 1999, we have been continuing to set the standard for innovation and excellence by consistently delivering high value to our clients through robust technology, unparalleled experience and exceptional service.

Our Position:
The systems engineer function is responsible for assessing, designing, implementing, documenting and supporting complex IT systems infrastructure environments for a wide variety of customers ranging from small businesses to enterprise organizations. In addition to a competitive base salary, performance and certification incentives are available.

Benefits:
As a competitive employer, Big Sur Technologies additional benefits include:
• 5 vacation days during the 1st 6 months of successful employment.
• 5 vacation days every 6 months thereafter.
• 15 vacation days (or Paid Time Off – PTO, to be used for sick days, vacation, etc.) after 4 years.
• Big Sur’s standard 7 paid holidays.
• Big Sur’s Matching Retirement Program (up to 3% of your income), one year wait/vesting period.
• Matching Retirement Plan (Simple IRA) – up to 3% of your salary – one year waiting/vesting period
• Health Insurance – 50% of your individual coverage is paid by Big Sur. Family coverage is available at the Employee’s expense. Available on your first day of Employment.
• Health Savings Account
• Direct Deposit for Payroll
• Other Great Benefits: Holiday Party, Quarterly Company Updates, Company Outings, Family Outings, etc.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Image Formats*

2011-07-06T08:12:00.003-04:00

*But were afraid to ask

Creating a snappy email signature, assembling a slide deck for a big sales presentation, or throwing together a flyer at the last minute for a conference or trade show? With the proliferation of desktop publishing apps and cheap image editing software, we’re all graphic designers now. Now that we have all of these great tools at our disposal, it’s on us to learn the basics. Here’s a primer on image file formats, what category they fall in, and where they work best.

Know your bitmap file formats

JPEG, JPG - Joint Photographic Experts Group

• Is it web supported? Yes – jpgs work with all major browsers
• Ideal for: Websites, office printing, and use with Microsoft Office applications (.ppt, .doc, .xls)
• Color profile: RGB
• Color range: Excellent
• Drawbacks: Generation loss – the more you manipulate a JPEG, the worse it looks

TIFF - Tagged Image File Format

• Web supported? No – it does not work in web pages
• Ideal for: Professional prints (with CMYK-equipped printer)
• Color profile: CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black, aka K)
• Color range: Excellent
• Drawbacks: Not web supported

PNG - Portable Network Graphics

• Web supported? Yes; works with most major browsers
• Ideal for: Websites, resizing with minimal quality loss
• Color profile: RGB, RGBA
• Color range: Good
• Drawbacks: Not supported by older versions of some browsers

GIF - Graphics Interchange Format

• Web supported? Yes; works with all major browsers
• Ideal for: Websites (icons), annoying animation graphics
• Color profile: RGB
• Color range: Poor
• Drawbacks: Does not resize well; limited color range for photographs

Understanding sizing and resolution

Resolution

• In the digital realm, an image’s resolution (pixels per inch) depends on the screen resolution on which it is displayed. Digital screens have their own specific pixel density that cannot change. (Modern computer screens typically display between 72 and 130 pixels per inch.) An image’s unique pixel density becomes apparent only in its printed (physical) form.
• Image files for high quality prints (business cards, letterhead, etc.) should be 300 PPI or higher.

Sizing (dimensions)

• Image dimensions on a screen are measured in pixels (px) -- as in, “This is photo of my cat is 100 pixels wide.” The image’s apparent size to the viewer depends on the context. A 100px image displayed on an iPhone will be quite small, perhaps under an inch wide. On a large-screen monitor, however, the image might measure, say, 2-3 inches wide.
• Resizing without resampling – To increase/decrease an image’s dimensions by changing the size of pixels but not their number (print only). Note: On a screen, where pixels have a fixed size, resizing an image without resampling it will not change its appearance, but the change will be reflected when you print it.
• Resizing with resampling – To increase/decrease an image’s dimensions while changing the number of pixels but not their size. (This is how you resize an image on a screen.)

Sizing (bytes)

• Smaller file sizes will load faster on the web
• Larger files sizes will show a higher resolution for print projects

Resizing photos for the web

1. Change the resolution to 72 PPI (this reduces the file’s size in terms of bytes, which means it will load faster on a web page)
2. Modify the dimensions by changing the pixel values for the height and width

Why does resizing reduce image quality?

In most image file formats, when you shrink an image, the image editor must strip away pixels, resulting in a loss of information. Conversely, when you enlarge an image, the image editor must add pixels, using the image’s color attributes as guide (not always perfect). In contrast, vector images, which are not composed of pixels, do not lose quality when resized. To manipulate vector image files, you typically need a specialized application like Adobe Illustrator.

For more information about image types and when to use what, check out these articles:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/graphicformats/f/summary.htm

http://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/why-use-images-in-blog-posts-and-where-to-find-them.html

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
On Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove
On Facebook BigSurTech
Also be sure to read the Big Sur Blog - > Big Sur Services Blog!

How to open users mailbox in outlook 2007

2011-07-01T07:37:00.004-04:00

Hi All,

This post comes to us from http://www.groovypost.com - They have a LOT of good stuff there.

This will show you how to open other users mailbox in Outlook 2007 - if you need the info for 2010 - go to this link Outlook 2010 Instructions

Step 1: With Outlook 2007 open, Click Tools, Account Settings

Step 2 : With Outlook 2007 open, Click Change

Step 3: Click More Settings

Step 4: Click Advanced Tab then Click Add

Step 5: Type in name of additional / secondary mailbox and Click OK

Note: You must have at least READ access to new mailbox otherwise after adding,
you will not be able to open new mailbox. If you need help with this, ask your systems administrator.

Step 6: Verify new Mailbox is listed under “Open these additional mailboxes - Click OK

Step 7: Click Next

Step 8: Click Finish

Step 9: Click Close

That’s it! Very simple! Here’s what your Outlook Client will look like once your new Mailbox is added:

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies : Making IT Easy
http://www.bigsurtech.com/
charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @BigSurTech & @CharlesJLove
On Linked In @BigSurTech & @CharlesJLove
On Facebook @ BigSurTech

Join Big Sur and Sophos for an informative meeting

2011-06-13T09:01:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone, Besure to join Big Sur and Sophos for this great event! I hope to see you there!

Anatomy of an Attack
How Hackers Threaten Your Security
Tampa Marriott Westshore Hotel
Tuesday June 28, 2011
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Register Now

Are you concerned that a malware attack will put your business at risk?
Learn how today's cybercriminals target your computer, identity and money and get practical advice on how to combat anything that comes your way. Sophos security expert Chet Wisniewski will explore how malware threats actually work and what you can do to protect your company today.

We’ll show you:
- What the threat landscape looks like, how it's changing, and trends to watch for
- A live demonstration of how a malware attack occurs, step-by-step
- The top 5 things you can do today to make your business more secure

Also, stick around for Stopping the Threat: Effective Security Solutions & Strategies with Sophos engineer John Shier. (Optional session 1:30pm to 2:30pm). Tuesday June 28, 2011
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM

When and Where:
Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina
700 South Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL 33602

Register now

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
On Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove
On Facebook BigSurTech
Also be sure to read the Big Sur Blog - > Big Sur Services Blog!

In-Flight Internet – Where to Find It and What's Arriving Soon

2011-06-07T11:27:00.002-04:00

You may already have used in-flight Internet service – and if you haven't seen it yet on your favorite airline, you will soon. The service isn't free – generally, in-flight Internet costs anywhere from $4.95 for short flights on up to $49.95 for pre-paid service on multiple flights – but airlines and suppliers have been examining how to get passengers "on board" with paying for service. During the recent holiday season, Google ran a promotion with a number of airlines (including AirTran, Delta, and Virgin America, which all use Gogo Inflight Internet service) to offer free wi-fi for a limited time, with the hope of getting passengers interested enough now to agree to pay for the service later on.

Which Major US Carriers Are Online?

US Airways now offers Gogo Internet on their entire fleet of aircraft; prices range from $4.95 to $12.95 based on flight length. Southwest Airlines started offering inflight Internet in 2010 at a cost of $5 per flight. Using Internet provider Row 44, Southwest anticipates that they will have wi-fi on their entire fleet of aircraft by the end of 2012.

United now offers Internet service on some long-haul flights (with prices from $7.95 - $12.95), but Continental, which merged with United in October 2010, does not yet offer any service. American Airlines offers service on all Boeing aircraft and additional selected flights with prices starting at $4.95, and Frontier and JetBlue now are also offering in-flight Internet; as noted previously, AirTran (all domestic flights), Delta (more than 2,200 flights), and Virgin America (all flights) offer wi-fi through Gogo.

What's Yet To Come?

While in-flight Internet is now available on a wide variety of domestic flights, accessing the Internet during international flights (especially intercontinental flights) has not been an option for any major carrier. However, as of January 2011, Lufthansa's FlyNet service offers broadband Internet access on intercontinental routes. For now, the service is limited to select North Atlantic routes, but access should be available on almost the entire Lufthansa intercontinental fleet by the end of this year. With this change in availability, look for more carriers to offer Internet on long-haul flights soon.

Want information on which airlines offer which Internet service (and for how much)? Click here: http://www.prepaid-wireless-guide.com/airline-internet.html

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
On Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove
On Facebook BigSurTech
Also be sure to read the Big Sur Blog - > Big Sur Services Blog!

Five Tips for Keeping Your Laptop in Good Condition

2011-05-28T08:09:00.004-04:00

Big Sur Technologies is always here to help you with your IT needs – but there are a number of things you can do on your own to prevent problems and help your laptop look newer, run better (and faster), and stay trouble-free. Here are five quick tips for protecting your laptop and your data:

1. Keep food and liquids away.

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but when you’re on the go or in a hurry, it’s common to eat or drink something while checking email, etc. Liquids can damage and even permanently destroy internal components and corrupt data. Crumbs can fall between keys in your keyboard and irritate the circuitry.

2. Clean your hands.

If you clean your hands before using your laptop, you’ll help reduce wear and tear on the exterior coating that is caused by sweat, oils and other small particles.

3. Plug accessories into the correct slots.

Again, this may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s critical. Always look at the symbols on the laptop carefully before inserting devices. Jamming plugs into the wrong outlet could damage the sockets and the plug, making it impossible to use them again. Also, be sure to insert plugs slowly and at the right angle to avoid damage.

4. Don't expose your computer to rapid temperature fluctuations (or leave it in your car).

When you bring your laptop from outside to inside during summer and winter, don't turn it on immediately. Instead, let it warm or cool a bit and come to room temperature first. This will help avoid the potential for damage to the disk drive due to rapid temperature fluctuations. Also, don’t leave your laptop in your car, where large temperature swings can cause damage (and obviously, having a visible laptop bag in an empty car is a target for theft).

5. Have your laptop cleaned annually to remove internal dust.

It’s best to have this done by a professional. When dust accumulates inside the machine, the system cannot cool itself properly, and heat can destroy the motherboard. Between cleanings, you can use a soft toothbrush to clean around the exhaust fan screen, which can get clogged and cause overheating.

Looking for more ways to take good care of your computer equipment? Click here: http://ezinearticles.com/?Proper-Computer-Care&id=4920020

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
On Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove
On Facebook BigSurTech
Also be sure to read the Big Sur Blog - > Big Sur Services Blog!

Geolocation: Just the Latest Game for Geeks?

2011-05-24T13:30:00.002-04:00

Geolocation defined by Wikipedia, is “the identification of real-world geographic location of an object, such as a cell phone, or an Internet-connected computer terminal.” Geolocation has revolutionized travel by displaying real time traffic information and routes. Geolocation applications such as Foursquare and Gowalla are taking advantage of this technology in a different approach. Below, we’ll cover the benefits, dangers and future of geolocation.

Foursquare and Gowalla have cleverly created an avenue for people to connect. Both require users to “check-in” at locations using their smartphones. Their reward for doing so is badges, mayorships and special offers or discounts. These applications have created miniature online-communities by allowing visitors to view profiles of other people who have checked-in and trade tips between one another. Social Media leaders like Facebook and Twitter have realized the impact of geolocation and have jumped on board with their own geo-features.

The biggest concern surrounding geolocation is privacy. By publicly announcing your location, you inevitably make yourself vulnerable to threats. PleaseRobMe.com is a site that highlights user feeds exposing their locations. The goal of the site owners is simply to raise awareness about the risk in sharing too much. What’s at risk? Your belongings, your private information (credit card numbers, social security number, financial information) and most importantly, you.

In a recent case in Denver, burglars targeted cars parked at a local football stadium with openly displayed GPS systems. The burglars then used the GPS system to lead them to the unoccupied victim’s home, and let themselves in with the garage door opener. It was the perfect crime, but could have been easily prevented. Most geolocation applications offer privacy settings that allow you to restrict who can and can’t see your whereabouts. Familiarize yourself with these privacy settings so you don’t fall victim to an attack.

What’s in the future of geolocation? Today, it may just seem like a game for geeks, but progressive companies are leveraging the technology to create a sense of community amongst their customers and ultimately increase sales. As the technology improves, we may be able to use it for more important things such as: search and rescue, public announcements and targeted news.

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
Follow Us on Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove

The impact of Google’s Personalized Search Results

2011-05-24T13:13:00.003-04:00

Consider this statement: “On Friday afternoon, Google made the biggest change that has ever happened in search engines, and the world largely yawned.”

That quote is from a Dec. 7, 2009, post from Search Engine Land, a web site that covers Google, Bing and other Internet indexers.

You’re forgiven if you were among the yawners. Since it was early December when Google announced that it would start personalizing all search results, many of us had our thought centered on holiday preparations. What’s more, the ramifications of this charge aren’t clear upon initial inspection. But a closer look reveals nothing short of a revolution in the making. Here is what Google did, according to Google:

Today we're helping people get better search results by extending Personalized Search to signed-out users worldwide, and in more than forty languages. Now when you search using Google, we will be able to better provide you with the most relevant results possible. For example, since I always search for [recipes] and often click on results from epicurious.com, Google might rank epicurious.com higher on the results page the next time I look for recipes. Other times, when I'm looking for news about Cornell University's sports teams, I search for [big red]. Because I frequently click on www.cornellbigred.com, Google might show me this result first, instead of the Big Red soda company or others.

Google accomplishes this feat by cataloging all of your searches for over 180 days. It then uses your search history to customize your results. (If you’re not signed in to your Google account, a cookie on your browser keeps a record of your queries.)

Sounds pretty innocuous, doesn’t it? Better search results? Tailored to yours truly? I like this change! Others, however, might squirm at the Orwellian aspect of an omniscient Google knowing exactly what you want. Whether the change is good or bad is debatable, but it’s certainly going to be big. Here’s Search Engine Land’s Danny Sullivan:

Until now, search engines have largely delivered the same results to everyone. Two different people could search for Barack Obama and get back the same set of results. … The days of “normal” search results that everyone sees are now over. Personalized results are the “new normal,” and the change is going to shift the search world and society in general in unpredictable ways.

How might this change shift the world? Here are a few scenarios:

It could narrow your Internet experience

This change could curtail what we’ll call “search-engine serendipity.” Search-engine serendipity happens when you search Google with a preconceived notion of what you’ll find, but instead you end up exploring new ideas and virgin territory. Personalized results may repeatedly channel you through the same grooves, limiting your exposure to things outside your experience.

It could serve to confirm your personal biases

Sullivan picks up on this possibility in his post: “Is a search for Michelle Obama showing a racist image? Maybe for one person, but not for another.” For the xenophobic Googler, every search may reinforce his xenophobic worldview because personalization filters sites that don’t jibe with his tastes. Another example: Once Google has you pegged as a bleeding heart liberal, it may serve up Huffington Post for every query.

It could further polarize our political system

You can see where we’re going with this. If personalized results reinforce our beliefs, we’ll soon have Google red and Google blue. The folks in Mountain View have tried to comfort people by saying that wants “diversity of results.” But that poses another troubling question: Who will define diversity? Google?

It could reduce the visibility of your web site

Since no one but Google knows how its personalization algorithm works, it’s hard to know how far-reaching the change will be. But it’s plausible that a business’ web site would no longer rank for certain keywords among certain prospects. If, for example, a person went on an Amazon.com book-buying spree, Google might take note and start displaying Amazon.com for a majority of product-related queries, which is great … if you’re Amazon.com.

It could screw up your SEO efforts

Since there is no longer a ‘normal’ set of results, it becomes more difficult to optimize your web site. There isn’t one bull’s eye to aim for anymore: there are millions of them and they’re moving all the time as Google refreshes its 180-day cache of your search terms.

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
Follow Us on Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove

Join us on Facebook

2011-05-22T13:14:00.004-04:00

Be a Facebook FAN of Biig Sur Technologies, Inc.

Join us on our Facebook Page!

Twitter: @BigSurTech & @CharlesJLove

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The Perils of Multitasking

2011-05-19T07:30:00.002-04:00

Multitasking to nowhere: Neuroscientists say singletasking is more productive

Recent brain research cited in a recent article from McKinsey Quarterly shows that multitasking works only when the tasks are menial (e.g., chewing gum and walking). When people try to juggle tasks that demand a modicum of creativity and logic, they’re pretty much hopeless.

In one study, participants took 30 percent longer to complete parallel tasks and made twice as many errors as those who checked off one task at a time. And a Harvard Business School study found that multitasking stifled innovation: People with fragmented workdays were less creative than those who had fewer distractions.

When neuroscientists look at functional MRI scans, the picture is pretty clear: We stink at multitasking. When we try to do two relatively complex things at once – a back-and-forth that requires constant cognitive readjustment – our brains get overwhelmed and slow down to a crawl.

The remedy is obvious (but tough to implement): Reduce your information intake, concentrate on one task at a time, cut down on workday meetings, and make sure to silence your cell phone when you want to get something accomplished. And if you’re in a leadership role at your company, you may need to get better at delegating.

Wondering how you’re ever going to quit your multitasking habit? Turn off your gadgets, close your door and think about it . . . .

To read the McKinsey Quarterly article, click here: http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Recovering_from_information_overload_2735

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
Follow Us on Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove

SMBs Understand the Importance of Protecting Their Information

2011-05-18T18:00:00.004-04:00

A recent study released by Symantec Corporation reveals that many small and mid-sized organizations are recognizing the importance of information security. On average, SMBs are now spending approximately $51,000 per year to protect their company information. This is a substantial increase from last year when one-third of SMBs didn’t even have antivirus protection in place. SMBs risk cyber attacks and loss of confidential data and devices. In today’s hyper-wired world that could mean the difference between success and having to shut down.

Stephen A. Cox, President and CEO of the National Council of Better Business Bureaus states, “The average cost of fraud for self-employed and small-business owners is about $4,627.” But your bottom line isn’t the only thing at risk. By failing to protect your customer data, you could put them in danger of credit card fraud and identity theft. Below we’ll cover some simple safeguards your company can put into place to prevent information theft:

1. Employee awareness - Employees are the gateway to your company’s information. Create and implement Internet security guidelines. Then, educate your employees and make sure they are following them. This can be as simple as requiring periodic password changes to updating your employees on the latest threats and how they can prevent them.

2. Protect important business information - Use data encryption so prying eyes can’t intrude. Maintain wireless security. Limit employee access to important information such as: credit card numbers, customer information or employee records. Important data in the wrong hands could become detrimental.

3. Create a Backup and Recovery Plan - You can’t predict the future but you can be prepared for it. A virus could spread through your system or a flood could ruin your equipment. Make sure you back up your data to an external source as frequently as possible in case the unexpected occurs.Information Security is crucial to all businesses.

In recent news, the Federal Trade Commission charged social media site, Twitter, for failing to adequately safeguard user information. Their failure to protect user accounts led to account attacks on both President-Elect Barack Obama and CNN host Rick Sanchez. Twitter has not only suffered monetary losses, but has also lost trust and respect of some of their users.

Invest in protecting your company’s data now so you don’t have to deal with a disaster later. "When a company promises consumers that their personal information is secure, it must live up to that promise. Likewise, a company that allows consumers to designate their information as private must use reasonable security to uphold such designations." - David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Further Reading: Symantic Survey Reveals Information Protection Is the Highest IT Priority for SMBs

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022

Big Sur Social Media Links:
On Twitter @bigsurtech & @charlesjlove
Follow Us on Linked In BigSurTech & CharlesJLove

Online Reputation Management 101

2011-05-15T13:33:00.001-04:00

How (and when) to respond to a bad online review

Not every bad review posted online merits a response – don’t feed the trolls!* – but in certain cases, it’s a good idea to publicly engage with unsatisfied clients and customers, particularly if you’re at fault and/or if the person issuing the complaint has a big audience. Here’s a quick primer on online damage control:

1) Listen. Make sure you fully understand the person’s grievance. Could there be a misunderstanding? If we had a nickel for every simple misunderstanding . . . .

2) Apologize (if necessary). This can be very hard, but it shows strength, grace and integrity. A public “we’re sorry” will actually burnish your reputation.

3) Affirm. Restate your company’s pledge to provide excellent products and services. If it makes sense, offer a gift or coupon.

4) Move on. Whatever happens, don’t get caught in a public back-and-forth with an implacable grump! Some people will never be happy, and you risk looking thin-skinned by engaging.

5) Reflect (privately). How can you preempt similar complaints? How did the aggrieved party respond to your outreach?

With new social media channels opening up every day, online reputation management is an evolving discipline that can seem overwhelming to time-strapped small- and mid-size businesses (SMBs). Fortunately, most of the basic principles of offline PR apply to the web – and those principles are informed by old-fashioned common sense and business savvy. Let your good instincts guide you.

For more information and suggestions, click here: http://www.fathomseo.com/blog/index.php/googles-tips-for-online-reputation-monitoring-management

*Definition: “Trolls” are terminally unhappy people who troll the Internet in an effort to spread their discontent. They also live under bridges. Steer clear!

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022
Toll Free: 877.7BIGSUR

The Web at a Crossroads

2011-05-13T17:02:00.004-04:00

The Web at a Crossroads

RIP WWW?

Most people think of “the web” and “the Internet” as synonymous, but they’re not the same. The web makes up just one slice of the larger Internet pie, and that slice has been getting smaller and smaller in the last few years as our media-consumption patterns change.

Consider this: In 2011, it’s possible to spend an entire day on the Internet without opening your web browser. That’s because our online experience has become app-etized: We now access the Internet via specific, closed portals such as iTunes, Outlook, and a host of mobile applications – “apps” – on our smartphones and tablets.

Wired magazine noted this trend last August and published a smart (but hyperbolic) cover story with the headline, “The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet.” In the article, Wired editor Chris Anderson makes a compelling argument, citing precedents in the railroad and telecom industries, that the Information Revolution is following the model of the Industrial Revolution, with the profit motive driving the shift:

“There has hardly ever been a fortune created without a monopoly of some sort, or at least an oligopoly. This is the natural path of industrialization: invention, propagation, adoption, control. Now it’s the Web’s turn to face the pressure for profits and the walled gardens that bring them.”

But is the web really dead? Will our Internet landscape begin to look like the television landscape – with higher prices and a few dominant actors running the show?

We’re suspending judgment for the moment. Though it’s clear that the web is now a smaller portion in our daily Internet intake, it’s still a staple of our digital diets. What’s more, the new version of HTML – HTML5 – promises to bring app-like functionality to the open web. So perhaps the web isn’t dead after all. Maybe it’s poised to make a comeback.

To be continued . . . .

To check out the Wired article, click here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/ff_webrip/all/1

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022
Toll Free: 877.7BIGSUR

Smartphone Security Tips

2011-05-10T15:20:00.005-04:00

Protect your device from prying eyes

Our mobile gadgets are loaded with PII – personally identifiable information – and other nuggets of private data. Making matters worse, our handheld devices are easy to misplace. (Just ask the Apple employee who left his
iPhone prototype at the bar . . . .)

Here’s a sampling of the sensitive info that’s found on most smartphones:

• Passwords to unencrypted websites (Facebook, web-based email providers, etc.)
• Wi-Fi network info
• Personal information stored in third-party apps
• Calendars and contacts
• Notes, documents, photographs, and more

In the wrong hands . . . well, let’s not think about it. Fortunately, there are a few ways (requiring varying levels of effort) to protect your smartphone – and yourself – from snoops. Here are five ways to protect yourself and your information.

1) Easy. Set up a password lock:
For Android: Go to Menu > Settings > Location & Security
For Blackberry: Go to Options > Security Options > General Settings
For iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Passcode Lock

For added security, you can set up automatic wipe-out protection when someone repeatedly enters the wrong password.

2) Essential. Set up remote data-wipe capability – if you lose your phone, these allow you to remotely erase data.

For iPhone: Go to Find My Phone
For Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone: Go to Lookout Mobile Security

3) Best practice. We know, we know. Staying current with OS updates can seem like a fulltime job. But it’s worth it. These updates often include important security patches.

4) Smart. Read the fine print before installing third-party apps. What kind of information will these services collect or share? Do an overall “sniff test” before downloading anything, and make sure it comes from a reputable source (i.e., an official app marketplace).

5) Gold-star material. Install a malware detector and firewall (for Android, Windows 7, or Blackberry).

For a look at some security apps, take a look at this article:

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20110401/new-smartphone-security-apps.html

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If you have any questions or comments, please let me know...

Charles J. Love
Director of Service Operations
Big Sur Technologies Managed Services Provider
http://www.bigsurtech.com/ charles@bigsurtech.com

My Direct Dial: 813-405-3022
Toll Free: 877.7BIGSUR

Big Sur on Fox13 News Investigates Feature

2010-01-12T08:09:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Big Sur was featured on a Fox 13 Spot last night on the 5:00 News. Below is a link to the article, and Video.

Click This Link for Video on Fox13 Website -> http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/investigates/111-facebook-monitoring-at-work

Companies monitor employees on Facebook

Published : Monday, 11 Jan 2010, 6:23 PM EST

TAMPA - Can't wait to message your friends? Maybe you should. The boss could be watching.

Companies these days are trying to squeeze out more productivity, and one way to do that is to limit the time employees are able to spend on social web sites.

“You're allowed to visit Facebook for 10 minutes out of the day. After 10 minutes, we're going to cut your time out,” said Charles Love, technical services manager of Big Sur Technologies in Tampa, speaking about one of the policies set by his clients.

Employers pay Big Sur Technologies to keep an eye on what employees are looking at online.

Charles Love is even able to set up the boss to track an employee’s internet surfing from an office on a completely different floor.

“Management can see the mouse moving, and they can see all the key strokes,” said Love.

“It's entirely legal,” said law professor Tim Kaye of Stetson University. “Whatever goes on during normal work hours with the employer’s equipment is a matter for the employer to control.”

Professor Kaye says this standard generally applies even when employees are using these sites to get their work done.

A recent survey shows there may be good reason for companies to worry about social networking sites. Of employees who have a Facebook page, 77 percent said they’re on it during work hours, but only 13 percent of that same group said they had a business reason to do so.

“Some companies encourage their employees to go on Twitter or Facebook to publicize the company. So while you're there, it rather depends on what you expect the employee to be doing,” Kaye said.

Kaye offered this advice for employees:

“I suspect the best defense for an employee is to be a productive employee. If you’re getting the job done, and everyone get on with me, then there will be less reason to start investigating you,” he said.

Email Archive Overview w/ Big Sur

2009-12-01T11:58:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Email Archive has been a hot topic for our customers as of late, our email compliance and retention team has been hard at work doing implementations. I wanted to touch on what M+ Archive really is to everyone. A lot of our customers are calling us because they want to “trim the fat” out of their email systems. With the M+ Archive system, we are able to keep a secure copy of the entire mail system. M+ Archive works with both, Microsoft Exchange 2003/2007 and GroupWise 7/8 enviroments.

Here is how it works, M+ Archive uses an Archive Server. This is the server where the emails are stored. Every Night or Week (depending on schedule) we will do an update scan to refresh the archives; this update scan will collect items that the previous one did not get or items that may have come in between scans. How, when and what we scan is very flexible.

Once we have emails in the archive, we can now “trim the fat” in your email systems. We recently, had a customer who wanted to maintain all of the emails of their 15 year mail sever as a “Just in case” measure, but only really wanted the last 5 years in the live mail system. Their email size went from well over 200Gig’s down to about 70gig’s. As email users the question we need to ask ourselves is do we really need all that email, will you really look at a meeting request from 1999 taking about the Y2K Planning session, or how about Sally in accounting who’s cat just had kittens (back in 2003) – Do we need to keep that as a reference? Typically the answer is no, when the conversation of legality comes into play, then the answer is yes. But without a product like this, there is no way to keep a audit logged track of all the Y2K, Kitten, and hodgepodge of actual legitimate emails.

Another thing to do is to think of this as it relates to Onsite and offsite backup and restore. Depending on hardware, it could take hours to restore a 200G email system, for the customer I mentioned above the backup is now flying compared to what it did weeks ago. By taking the large quantity of mail out of the primary mail store, it also keeps your email server healthy. It makes everything faster as it relates to email. If it turns out that they ever need to go back more than the 5 years, then we can easily search the mailstore with the google-like search engine, or even the web interface.

If this is something you are interested in, please let me know and I can show you a Demo and talk more about it.

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Big Sur Has Moved!

2009-10-27T12:03:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Just a note to let you know that Big Sur Technologies has moved to our new location. We are now located at the below address.

Big Sur Technologies
4631 Woodland Corporate Blvd.
Suite 110
Tampa, FL 33614

Novell Releases GroupWise 8 SP1!

2009-09-22T09:04:00.003-04:00

Hello Everyone,

Just letting you know that Novell has officially released GroupWise 8 SP1, we have had lots of customers coming to us wanting to take their GroupWise environment to the latest and greatest version. There are lots of cool new features with GroupWise 8 that can be found here - http://www.novell.com/products/groupwise/productinfo/ If you are interested in having us help you upgrade your GroupWise environment to GroupWise 8, please let me know!

Again, Thanks for stopping by!
Charles J. Love Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Hey Tampa! Its Hurricane Season, Is your Accounting data safe?

2009-06-04T08:47:00.005-04:00

Did you know that Big Sur Technologies offers "Big Sur Remote Backup" for as low as 9.95/Month?

What is Big Sur Remote Backup?

Big Sur Remote Backup is an automated data backup and restoration system providing powerful tools to protect important data. Unlike traditional data protection tools, Big Sur Remote Backup does not require any human assistance beyond the initial installation and setup. There is no media to install, remove, protect, or replace. Big Sur Remote Backup is highly secure and only the user has access to their stored and data.
Your valuable data is encrypted and stored at a Secure Data Center. Without your password, no one else can read or use your confidential information. Not even Big Sur Technologies’ Staff, It’s that secure!

Our easy-to-use system is flexible in how often to backup and how many previous versions of the data are kept. Because only the data changes (Deltas) are stored, very small amounts of storage are used to maintain versions. Big Sur Remote Backup can even help when data is destroyed by mistake because Big Sur Remote Backup maintains copies of deleted files for a period of time preventing accidental deletions. This valuable tool will come in very handy one day, guaranteed!

Your data is NOT Stored in the state of Florida

Call 813-269-9145 x236 for your Backup Assessment Today!

Also - Another question to ask yourself. How old are my tapes??? Did you know that most manufactures recommend you change them every 12 months?

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Big Sur Launches New Web Site!

2009-05-19T16:05:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Be sure to check out the new Big Sur Web Site. We also have some cool interactive features.

http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Free Conficker Worm Detection & Removal Tool

2009-04-09T14:39:00.004-04:00

In less than six months, the Conficker/Downadup worm has infected thousands of business networks--making it the most widespread worm infection since SQL Slammer in 2003.
If your computers are unpatched, they’re still at risk.

Download a free Conficker detection and removal tool from Sophos

Conficker uses advanced malware techniques to exploit vulnerable computers, weak passwords and USB storage devices. Learn more about how the Conficker worm works in a free 10-minute podcast with Paul Ducklin of Sophos.

Listen to the podcast about Conficker

Sophos is the prefered AntiVirus Solution for Big Sur Technologies!

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Conficker Worm - Are you protected for 4/1/2009??

2009-03-27T16:27:00.004-04:00

There is alot of data out there about the new Conficker Worm. Did you know the main date for this virus is 4/1/2009? We have had some customers already infected with 2 variants of the worm before the new launch date. As it so happens, these customers were NOT protected with our monitor, and did not follow a Windows Update Schedule methodology. Can you say that you are protected for sure?

Big Sur Technologies customers who run NetCare Monitor will be fully protected from this vulnerability, and future ones. One of the key features of our monitoring system is to push out various critical Windows Updates to the PC's and Servers that are covered.

By keeping your Servers, and PC's up to current patch levels, vulnerability such as Conficker, are a non-issue.

Interested in learning more about monitor? Let me know!

Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Five PC power myths debunked

2009-03-26T09:26:00.003-04:00

I found a great article about PC power Myths - Read below, very informative -

Don't let misinformation prevent you from cashing in on PC power management

Turning off PCs during periods of inactivity can save companies a substantial sum. In fact, Energy Star estimates organizations can save from $25 to $75 per PC per year with PC power management. Those savings can add up quickly. According to a recent report by Forrester titled "How Much Money Are Your Idle PCs Wasting?" PC power management is helping General Electric and Dell boast savings of $2.5 million and $1.8 million per year, respectively. That also results in a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions.

[ For more on PC power management, please read "When PCs don't snooze, you lose." Read about 10 more power-saving myths. ]

So why is there hesitancy at some organizations to implement PC power management, given that the payback is easy to calculate? Perhaps some companies are being swayed by myths about PC power management. Forrester outlines five such myths in its report.

Myth No. 1: The power used turning my PC on negates any benefits of turning it off. Forrester debunks this myth as follows: The average desktop draws 89 watts per hour. If it's left on overnight for 16 hours, it consumes 1.42kW. It's impossible for the power surge that occurs when powering on a PC to rival that figure: "You would be drawing energy at a rate of 17 kWh -- the equivalent of 44 HP DL580 servers at 100 percent utilization. Moreover, the average US wall outlet can only provide 1.8 kW of draw, which is about one-tenth of what the power surge would require."

Myth No. 2: My screen saver is saving me energy. Though at times entertaining and whimsical, screen savers aren't power savers. As the report notes, "Certain graphics-intensive screen savers can cause the computer to burn twice as much energy," according to the EPA's Energy Star Program. A screen saver displaying moving images consumes just as much electricity as an active PC. A blank screen saver is slightly better, but most screen savers don't save energy unless they actually turn off the screen, or in the case of laptops, turn off the backlight. In short, it's better to place PCs in a lower power state than it is to run a screen saver.

Myth No. 3: Turning my PC on and off will reduce its performance and useful life. There may have been some truth to this once upon a time, the report notes, but today's new and improved modern hardware can handle it. The Forrester Report cites findings from the Rocky Mountain Institute: "Modern computers are designed to handle 40,000 on/off cycles before failure, and you're not likely to approach that number during the average computer's five to seven year life span. In fact, IBM and Hewlett Packard encourage their own employees to turn off idle computers, and some studies indicate it would require on/off cycling every five minutes to harm the hard drive."

The report goes on to say that "powering down your computer may actually extend its life cycle by reducing the intake of dust, which can cause fans to seize up or parts of circuit boards to overheat."

[ Powering up and down PCs is OK -- but find out why powering down servers is a calculated risk. ]

Myth No. 4: I can't run updates and patches for PCs in lower-power states. It's perfectly possible to rouse PCs from slumber for patches, updates, and backups. "This is most often achieved using WOL (Wake on LAN) technology -- an Ethernet networking standard that allows PCs to be 'woken up' from a lower power state after receiving a 'magic packet' network message. Alternatively, recent hardware improvements such as Intel vPro can offer similar functionality without relying on the WOL standard," according to the report.

Myth No. 5: My PC users will not tolerate any downtime for power management. The Forrester report does acknowledge that end-users have very little patience for downtime. However, it suggests that "potential user complaints can be mitigated by communicating the positive financial and environmental benefits of PC power management."
The Forrester report "How Much Monday are Your Idle PCs Wasting?" is available for $279.

This article was posted @ http://weblog.infoworld.com/sustainableit/archives/2008/12/pc_power_manage_1.html

Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Looking for your Administrator Login in Vista? (Tip by Dave Kahlbaugh)

2009-02-11T08:45:00.003-05:00

If you ever need to log on to Vista as an administrator, but the admin account doesn't appear anywhere, this should fix it where you can see the account.

HOW TO: Enable the build-in Administrator account in Windows Vista (applies to any other user)

MORE INFORMATION: To enable the build-in Administrator account, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
2. In the search results list, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator.
3. When you are prompted by User Account Control, click Continue.
4. At the command prompt, type net user administrator /active:yes, and then press ENTER.
5. Type net user administrator , and then press ENTER.Note: Please replace the tag with your passwords which you want to set to administrator account.
6. Type exit, and then press ENTER.
7. Log off the current user account.

-- Dave Kahlbaugh

Systems Engineer

MCSE/A, CCNA,VCP, A+

Big Sur Technologies

http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Attention Current GroupWise Customers : GroupWise Security Updates 2/2009

2009-02-10T15:08:00.004-05:00

In case you were not aware, Novell has recently released a Security Hot Patch for GroupWise 7 and GroupWise 8 that fixes some security vulnerabilities in GWIA and WebAccess. If you have not done so, please take the time to patch your system with the latest hot patches for GroupWise.

For GroupWise 7 the patch is called 703HP2, for GroupWise 8 the patch is 800HP1. More Information can be found here - http://www.gwcheck.com/wpml/?p=1211

If you have any questions or are in need of assistance installing the security updates, please feel free to contact Charles Love or myself at 813-269-9145 x235

Thank you,

Jim Trice
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
Office 813.269.9145, ext. 235
Fax 813.849.1066

http://www.bigsurtech.com/

TIP: How to make Apache on NetWare 6.5 Target a Data Volume

2009-01-07T19:19:00.008-05:00

In This example, we have a volume named VOL1, and we have a folder called “files” on that volume. What we are trying to do is keep the apache2 home folder on SYS and create a sub folder on another volume. The results would be http://NetWare1/ serves files from sys:apache2\htdocs\ and http://NetWare1/files serves files from vol1:files

You will need to edit your http.conf in sys:apache2/conf (backup your orig 1st – locate the section named “aliases” and add this line to the bottom

# This makes http://url/files pull from VOL1:Files
Alias /files "vol1:/files"
# This makes http://url/files pull from VOL1:Files

Now you can do an apwebdn and an apwebup – now http://NetWare1/files will be pulling data from the VOL1:

Now if you want to enable directory browsing, look at your httpd.conf and look for this section

# First, we configure the "default" to be a very restrictive set of
# features.
#
Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
<<Directory>

Now Add this under this section

<Directory "vol1:/files">
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>

Now you can do an apwebdn and an apwebup, you shuld be able to browse your http://url/files on your website.

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Big Sur Technologies & Saint Pauls School - Infrastructure Consolidation Assessment

2008-12-23T13:49:00.004-05:00

The Big Sur Technologies Service Team recently finished off a VMWare Project for a private school in Clearwater, Florida - Below is some detail about that project. I wanted to share it with everyone.

Reason for project: To provide an in-depth analysis of the IT environment, ensuring client is utilizing all IT resources efficiently.

What was found, and how we responded:
To determine the infrastructure needs and requirements and to document the environment - Big Sur Technologies performed a complete Infrastructure Consolidation Assessment. During the extensive data-gathering process we found many servers running on improper hardware and configured in such a way that resources were underpowered. In one specific case, an aging desktop machine with 256mb’s of memory was running a key component of the infrastructure, something that almost every student uses. When put in place, this server was able to meet the needs as required by the students, but as the demand grew, it simply underperformed due to its physical limitations. This was the case with multiple systems that were found in full production. The resulting project plan encompassed the migration of 6 key systems running multiple applications to new hardware. Big Sur engineers recommended an HP & VMware Solution to answer the needs of the environment, with Saint Paul’s Schools’ Green efforts—this solution fit right in. This solution would consolidate all of the servers into a virtual environment, running on a single NEW HP server. This allowed Saint Paul’s to cut down on the number of physical servers needed, which reduced the space required, cooling, power, cabling, and more. This also answered many of their Disaster recovery plan requirements.

For Saint Paul’s School, the alternative to this new, virtual environment, was to deploy 6 additional physical servers. The cost saving of the 6 additional servers is estimated at about $40,000. Adopting a virtual environment is a key concern for the environment at time where energy costs are rising. The power and cooling requirements for servers is extensive, and VMware has brought very measurable, ongoing reduction of resources to Saint Paul’s School. The return on investment for Saint Paul’s was immediately realized.

With the new solution in place, we were able to give all of the servers the resources that they needed, and if required upgrade them on the fly. In the case of the 256mb SQL Server, now upon boot, it immediately takes up 2GB’s of memory and now the application is over 4 times faster than before. The users were able to notice the difference immediately.

With the agile datacenter that is now in place, we are able to deploy servers within about an hour vs. the typical 2 week delay while we wait for hardware to be shipped. VMware has given Saint Paul’s School, the ability to do more with less without effecting performance or stability.

About Saint Paul’s School: Saint Paul’s School is an independent, co-educational elementary through middle school located in mid-Pinellas County in Clearwater, Florida for children in grades Pre-Kindergarten 3 through Eighth grade. For more than forty years, Saint Paul’s has maintained a nationally recognized reputation for providing a challenging academic foundation with small class sizes in a safe, nurturing environment. Exceptional programs in the fine arts, athletics and technology add to the broad-based curriculum, offering students the opportunity to learn and grow in an atmosphere that stresses leadership, values, honor and self-discipline.

About Big Sur Technologies: Big Sur Technologies offers unique technical skills for Messaging & Collaboration, Server and Storage Optimization, Virtualization, Messaging & Information Archive, Power & Cooling Solutions and Network Design & Deployment. We have an impressive success story that spans SMB to large Commercial, Government, Education and Healthcare accounts.

Big Sur offers a unique network Infrastructure Assessment that allows clients to accelerate their awareness of the technology needs in their environment, while ensuring the maximum return on investment. Through our NetCare Services solution, we provide proactive monitoring and support, management and strategic guidance in three areas: PC Management, Server Management and Network Management. We design a technology support plan that will meet our client’s specific needs.

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Some Novell GroupWise Updates from the Director, GroupWise Engineering

2008-12-11T08:06:00.002-05:00

Some Highlights...

- We plan to release 7.0.3 HP2 within the next 60-90 days.
- We plan to release 8.0.0 HP1 within the next 60-90 days, if necessary.
- We plan to release 8.0.1 in the first half of 2009
- We plan to release 7.0.4 during the second half of 2009 and we will release another 7.0.3 HP, if necessary.

We are currently hoping that 7.0.4 can be the final support pack for GroupWise 7, but that is still to be determined. Product life cycles indicate that it might.

We are also working on a mobility solution, a 3rd Party integration solution (which may include the mobility solution), Exchange Gateway update, Exchange Migration Utility and GMS 3.0 and we are working on the next major releases of GroupWise - code named Windermere and Monterrey.

- We are also working on Teaming + Conferencing deliverables

- Novell is also engaged in a few ‘Research and Development’ projects that deal with new ‘user interaction’ metaphors, new deployment metaphors and new collaboration markets. These projects have the potential of influencing and enabling some of our own evolutionary steps with GroupWise and Teaming + Conferencing and may provide opportunities for additional collaboration products, components or ideas.

More Info : http://www.novell.com/communities/node/6492/groupwise-next-what-we-are-working

GroupWIse 8 is OUT! and Big Sur is Running it!!

2008-11-24T16:01:00.004-05:00

HI All,

Novell GroupWise 8 has been released. If you want to see it, let me know. So far we are finding all of the new features pretty useful. We will be making a list so that we can show them off to anyone who wants to see it. We already have 2 migrations scheduled for December.

Some good links:
http://www.novell.com/products/groupwise/compare.html
http://www.novell.com/documentation/gw8/
http://tinyurl.com/5avzqy

-Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Looking at Novell Teaming or Microsoft Sharepoint?

2008-08-26T08:22:00.002-04:00

Take a look @ this article - This article focuses on Novell's Take on the differences between the two products.

http://tinyurl.com/6x225v

The Dangers of NOT having UPS Protection – True Story!

2008-08-01T08:18:00.005-04:00

So I have been working with a customer for a few years now. In the past year or so I have strongly recommended that they replace all of their dead UPS’s, Surge Strips, and yes the PC’s and Devices that are in the wall directly with new warranty based battery backup solutions. Be it financial reasons or other, it was not done.

Well for those of you not in Tampa Bay, we are back in our heavy storm season where as almost every day we get nasty storms and lightning. This week, this customer took a direct hit from a lightning strike – and when I say direct, I mean full on direct. I am told they saw Fire come out of the phone pbx box mounted on the wall. What makes this even scarier is that the PBX was 3 feet away from the server and backup tapes.

Now in this customers defense, they are moving to a new location where as all of these issues will be resolved – but it had not happened yet. The team and I were able to get onsite that afternoon – we were shocked what what we found. The following were damaged beyond repair.

A BrightHouse Cable Modem
Linksys RVS400 Router
4 PC’s Motherboard Network Cards
1 PC – (3 Months Old)– Totally fried – Very important data on C:\ (not on server)
1 – 8 Port Network Switch
1 – 5 Port Network Switch
1 – 24 Port Network Switch (Picture below)
1 – Very expensive Printer/Scanner/Fax

It took my team about 6 Hours combined to troubleshoot all of the failures, and get them up and running with “Big Sur Loaner Gear”. This customer will now need to buy new network cards, switches, routers, etc.

I am in the process of helping them with the new building where as everything will be on UPS.

Now, how can this be prevented?

Make sure ALL of your digital equipment is on a suitable UPS with the Network Jack Protection. The above issue I just spoke about was because lightning traveled through the network cables. I am still surprised today how many people spend upwards of $1500.00 on a fancy new computer, and 1000’s more on network gear and plug it directly into the wall or directly into their cube. I even come across people who later tell me that when the power blips, the pc just shuts off even with a battery. (Just so you know - This is for 1 of 3 reasons, 1 – Your battery is DEAD – replace it asap, 2 – your PC is plugged into the surge side of the battery backup, not the battery, or 3 you do not have a battery backup) IF this customer had the UPS’s in place with network protection, we would not have had such a large scale failure if anything at all.

Battery Backup’s cost about $40-$60 for the low end models, compare that to the $1500 you spend on the hardware, and the $300-$600 – you will need to pay a engineer to fix your problem. Also add the cost of the lost productivity that that person can not work.

As you can see, the $40-$60 is a much smarter move. If you would like a quote on new batterys, or would like our team to assess your network for this type of issue, please let me know and I will be happy to help. Rember - IF you have a UPS, and fill out the warranty card - Most UPS/Battery Backup Vendors will cover your failed equipment! but only IF you keep the reciept, and register the unit.

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Updated NetWare - Cool Tool

2008-08-01T07:42:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Our friends over at Caledonia Network's have released the new version of BlokFile - The must have NetWare Tool.

This tool allows you to block various types of files from being saved to your NetWare servers.

This new version of BlokFile (1.5) not only blocks the saving (or retrieval if the files already exist on the server) of files like MP3s, AVI's, MPG's, WAV's - any and all unwanted, un-needed files, it also serves as an auditing tool of which users are saving or accessing these files. BlokFile 1.5 can also send alerts via email. As an auditing tool, BlokFile 1.5 can be used in place of Novell's Auditing for file systems, with a much smaller overhead and more flexibility than Novell's own solution.

If you are intrested in learning more, let me know. Good news is the tool is about $200.00 and if you buy more then 1 server you can get volume discounts!

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
813-269-9145 x227
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

What is POE Anyway? - Good Article

2008-07-31T08:01:00.001-04:00

Found a good article today from the Petri Folks. Take a look at this if you are intrested to know more about what POE is..

http://www.petri.co.il/what-is-power-over-ethernet.htm

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

iPhone 2.0 Supoprts Exchange & GroupWise (with addon)

2008-07-31T07:54:00.002-04:00

The iPhone now supports Exchange Active Sync out of the box. For those of you who have Novell GroupWise, never fear - we have a partnership with NotifyLink where for a nonimal fee per year we can setup calendar, email, and contact sync on your new iPhone - If you want more info about that let me know..

The below link is from the Exchange Blog - http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2008/07/11/449196.aspx

Novell to Open up GroupWise (a bit)

2008-07-31T07:52:00.001-04:00

This should lead to some interesting things..

Read this interesting post in the NGW List by Dean Lythgoe, director of GroupWise engineering:

(this is a reply to a question on GroupWise API’s)

We realize that there are GroupWise APIs that have lagged far behind. The Client APIs (object api, C3POs and Tokens) and the Admin APIs have not kept up with the features and other functionalities that continue to be developed and exposed in our GroupWise Clients and interfaces.

Bonsai makes some updates to the object API, C3POs and Tokens, but very little to the Admin API. We have been building, as stated several times, a new Admin API. This will be a Web Service and may provide other bindings. However, the Admin API is not scheduled to be released as part of Bonsai. We will be using some of this API in the new Install - the System Creation part begins to utilize this new API.

As we move away from ConsoleOne, we will be using, documenting and exposing this Admin API to 3rd parties. We will do this as soon as possible. We did focus resources in Bonsai in several different areas in the Window, Linux and WebAccess Clients. We also dedicated a lot of time to further developing our SOAP on the POA. We also pushed the Admin API much further during the Bonsai time frame, but we have not been able to finish the Q/A and documentation on the parts that have been developed. We will continue this process during Bonsai SP1, but we have not solidified our plans on when to release the API.

We realize this is not the best position for all of our partners and integrators. We are committed to our API direction and believe that we will deliver a comprehensive API set to cover all of our partners - including the Linux/Mac Client.

We appreciate and recognize the tremendous efforts of our partners who have filled many of these gaps in the mean time. I encourage you to consider these products and expect them to greatly improve as they receive better and better GroupWise API support.

Regards,

Dean

Dean Lythgoe
Director, GroupWise Engineering

Big Sur Technologies Introduces Internet Based Backup Offering

2008-07-04T11:04:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Big Sur Technologies now offers Internet Based Backup. With Big Sur Remote Backup you can now target specific data in your business that is Important to you. With the basic plan, you can be sure that that "Key Data" is replicated somewhere else other than its primary location.

Big Sur is starting to install Big Sur Remote Backup for those customers who have Critical Data on Laptops where we expect users to do their own backups (but they don’t), and for data that is on servers such as Finical Spreadsheets, ACS Accounting Data, or Quickbooks.

Bottom line, with Big Sur Remote Backup, you can be sure your data is always replicated out of the state of Florida to a Tier 3 Datacenter. Can you say that for your Tapes?

Plans for Big Sur Remote Backup start as low as 9.95 a month for 5 GIG’s of storage. If you want to know more information about this or any other offering please call into Big Sur @ 877-7BIGSUR.

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Doing things with GroupWise Easier then Outlook - (Article)

2008-07-01T16:42:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone,

You often hear people saying that Microsoft Outlook/Exchange can do this and that, how come GroupWise Cant? - Here is a nice list of things that GroupWise can do that outlook cant :)

http://www.novell.com/communities/node/2651/what-groupwise-has-outlook-doesnt

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Novell's Brainshare on Tour Event

2008-07-01T11:26:00.000-04:00

HI Everyone,

Thanks to everyone who came out to support us at the Novell Best of Brainshare Event - It was great to see alot of you again.

If you would like to view the slide decks we used, please visit
http://www.novell.com/promo/brainshare.html

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Announcing the Big Sur Technologies and Document Advantage Corporation Partnership

2008-06-30T15:50:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Last week Big Sur made a big announcement - so far the response has been great to this partnership.

What is DocuVantage? Here is a brief overview :

DocuVantage OnDemand™ is an electronic document management application that provides document capture, text search, business process automation and records management compliance. "Electronic Document management is a key need for many of our customers in our medical and local government accounts. DocuVantage is a leader in the document management solution space and presents a great option for organizations who are trying to reduce costs, improve efficiency and remain competitive in a tightening economy", said Sam Sandusky, president and CEO of Big Sur. "We're excited to offer another solution for our clients that continue to round out our managed services offering and help them continue to grow." As a reciprocating benefit, Big Sur will provide the professional services for DocuVantage and receive all network support leads generated from their day to day activities.

More information can be found here - http://www.bigsurtech.com/about/news/062008-DocuVantage.html

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Get Ready for Vista! - Say Goodbuy to an Old Friend - Windows XP

2008-06-30T07:36:00.007-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Well that time is finally here - Microsoft will stop selling Windows XP today June 20th. As you can see below, you can still get XP, but at what cost? Let’s say you are buying a machine that comes with Vista (which can cost a bit for the better versions) You will also need to buy a downgrade license for XP, AND now you will need to pay an extra 2 or so hours for us to re-load the machine with XP and get it working they way it was with vista. This includes finding all the drivers and settings for that machine that work with XP. With the time it takes us to re-load and the licensing costs is the extra cost worth it to you? This will inflate the cost of a PC by about $300 or so. Some customers want XP because that’s what they know, some want it because their apps support it (or so they think).

My opinion is anyone can run it at this point. Microsoft has put many "Fixes” , and “enhancements" into the SP1 version of vista. Even on my laptop, Pre-SP1 and SP1 Versions of VISTA run very differently. SP1 seems to be very smooth and I have little to no problems compared to when I was running Vista with no support pack.

Now remember, if you are buying a Vista based PC, make sure you have the following - At least 4 GIG's of RAM, and Vista Business (any flavor). Follow these guidelines, and you will surely have a good experience with Windows Vista.

Below is an article I found about the change.

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. is scheduled to stop
selling its Windows XP operating system to retailers and major
computer makers Monday, despite protests from a slice of PC
users who don't want to be forced into using XP's successor, Vista.

Once computers loaded with XP have been cleared from the
inventory of PC makers such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co.,
consumers who can't live without the old operating system on their
new machine will have to buy Vista Ultimate or Vista Business and
then legally downgrade" to XP.Microsoft will still allow smaller
mom-and-pop PC builder shops to buy XP for resale through the
end of January.
A version of XP will also remain available for ultra-low-cost PCs
such as the Asus Eee PC.A group of vocal computer users who
rallied around a "Save XP" petition posted on the industry news
site InfoWorld had been clamoring for Microsoft to keep selling XP
until its next operating system, Windows 7, is available. The software
maker has said it expects to release Windows 7 sometime in 2009.
Last week, Microsoft said it would provide full technical support for
six-year-old Windows XP through 2009, and limited support through 2014.

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Novell Releases GroupWise 7 SP3 IR1

2008-06-19T10:42:00.003-04:00

HI Everyone,

Novell has released GroupWise 7 SP3 IR1 to address some issues. The IR1 will be eventually put into SP4. For those of you who need Jim Trice's assistance on patching your GroupWise 7 Enviroment, let me know. It shound be noted, anyone with GroupWise 7 code should update their systems.

Here is the link to the download GroupWise 7 SP3 Hot Patch 1

Click here to view the list of "bugs" and "Fixes" for SP3 ir1

Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Welcome to the Big Sur Blog!

2008-06-01T09:24:00.008-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the Big Sur Technologies Services Blog! - Please feel free to RSS this feed as I will be posting updates often. For those of you who use an RSS Feed reader like MyGoogle, MSN, or GroupWise8 - point your feeds to http://www.bigsurtech.com/blogs/atom.xml

Again, Thanks for stopping by!

Charles J. Love
Technical Services Manager
Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
http://www.bigsurtech.com/

Big Sur Technologies Services Blog

Big Sur Technologies acquires Red Rover Computing Inc.

Big Sur Now Offers Same Day Server Recovery!

Big Sur is Hiring! Be apart of the growing Big Sur Managed Service Team! (Systems Engineer)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Image Formats*

How to open users mailbox in outlook 2007

Step 1: With Outlook 2007 open, Click Tools, Account Settings

Step 2 : With Outlook 2007 open, Click Change

Step 3: Click More Settings

Step 4: Click Advanced Tab then Click Add

Step 5: Type in name of additional / secondary mailbox and Click OK

Step 6: Verify new Mailbox is listed under “Open these additional mailboxes - Click OK

Step 7: Click Next

Step 8: Click Finish

Step 9: Click CloseThat’s it! Very simple! Here’s what your Outlook Client will look like once your new Mailbox is added:

Join Big Sur and Sophos for an informative meeting

In-Flight Internet – Where to Find It and What's Arriving Soon

Five Tips for Keeping Your Laptop in Good Condition

Geolocation: Just the Latest Game for Geeks?

The impact of Google’s Personalized Search Results

Join us on Facebook

The Perils of Multitasking

SMBs Understand the Importance of Protecting Their Information

Online Reputation Management 101

The Web at a Crossroads

Smartphone Security Tips

Big Sur on Fox13 News Investigates Feature

Companies monitor employees on Facebook

Email Archive Overview w/ Big Sur

Big Sur Has Moved!

Novell Releases GroupWise 8 SP1!

Hey Tampa! Its Hurricane Season, Is your Accounting data safe?

Big Sur Launches New Web Site!

Free Conficker Worm Detection & Removal Tool

Conficker Worm - Are you protected for 4/1/2009??

Five PC power myths debunked

Looking for your Administrator Login in Vista? (Tip by Dave Kahlbaugh)

Attention Current GroupWise Customers : GroupWise Security Updates 2/2009

TIP: How to make Apache on NetWare 6.5 Target a Data Volume

Big Sur Technologies & Saint Pauls School - Infrastructure Consolidation Assessment

Some Novell GroupWise Updates from the Director, GroupWise Engineering

GroupWIse 8 is OUT! and Big Sur is Running it!!

Looking at Novell Teaming or Microsoft Sharepoint?

The Dangers of NOT having UPS Protection – True Story!

Updated NetWare - Cool Tool

What is POE Anyway? - Good Article

iPhone 2.0 Supoprts Exchange & GroupWise (with addon)

Novell to Open up GroupWise (a bit)

Big Sur Technologies Introduces Internet Based Backup Offering

Doing things with GroupWise Easier then Outlook - (Article)

Novell's Brainshare on Tour Event

Announcing the Big Sur Technologies and Document Advantage Corporation Partnership

Get Ready for Vista! - Say Goodbuy to an Old Friend - Windows XP

Novell Releases GroupWise 7 SP3 IR1

Welcome to the Big Sur Blog!

Step 9: Click Close

That’s it! Very simple! Here’s what your Outlook Client will look like once your new Mailbox is added: