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Posts tagged ‘windows 8’

Dec 7

Cost Savings
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Creating a Private Microsoft Office 365 Style Private Cloud in your Company

Goals

This project is intended to provide a secure intranet environment for the multiple offices of Your Corporation with the features of secure services including zones for document collaboration, E-Mail with Exchange, remote PC access from tablets, and the ability to have multiple users collaborate on the same documents simultaneously. Corporate instant messaging and online meetings are also desired features. In short, an environment should be created on local servers in one office and be usable by the other offices. Security considerations include a secure locked area for servers at least consisting of a lockable server cabinet for access control and removable drives. Removable drives should be consistent in size and type across all servers so that they can be changed without powering down the servers. The parity information on the drives should allow for rebuilding of information on a freshly inserted drive. Two load-balanced web servers with firewalls will serve as application servers. Additionally, a firewall appliance can act as a second level of firewall protection. The firewall appliance should be a Linux-based model with statefull packet inspection, because this is a complementary firewall strategy to that of Windows. This strategy has been successfully used by clients including NYU School of Medicine and our own offices. The servers needed are: Lync Server 2012, Lync Edge Server 2012, SQL Server, Exchange Server 2012, Office Web Apps Server 2012, IIS Web Server (A component of Microsoft Server 2012), and SharePoint Server 2013. Using the most recent products will bring You in line with the upgrades for Office 365 scheduled tentatively for the end of December 2012. Investing in the latest technology has risks involved with using the newest technology including undiscovered performance issues. As an alternative, the earlier versions of the software can be purchased and used. Backup will be relegated to a dedicated appliance that provides continual automated backup, one backup appliance for each server. These appliances can be carried away from the premises if needed just as easily as the removable hard drives.

Martin Low of the Web and I, Inc. is available to serve as the functional lead and project manager, and he is working from his office to select experts for an installation and integration by technical experts in each server type which can take place over two days convenient to Your Company on that weekend Mr. Low will configure SharePoint, oversee technical staff, clean up the contact list for the Exchange Global Address List, and assign security roles to users at Your Company

Following installation, Mr. Low will initiate training operations at the pleasure of Your Company He can initiate training in the main office in the first week and can provide additional training at other offices in person or through web meeting. In person training is recommended, but the wishes of Your Company will prevail.

Your Company has expressed a concern with server maintenance including software and hardware maintenance hours and expenses. Software maintenance can be had through technical experts in the individual server products by remote access or in person locally from an area accessible to Katonah. We recommend using local resources for increased security. Maintenance of the servers from a mechanical standpoint has a few possible approaches. The Web and I is experienced in the sourcing and construction of quality servers brand new from parts. The advantage to this is the lower costs of the servers Your Company needs to purchase. However the Web and I can also purchase the necessary servers from Dell at a discount through Dell Outlet. The advantage of using Dell for critical equipment is that Dell has service plans that guarantee on-site service including any needed parts all included in low-cost annual plans. The Web and I, Inc., despite our ability to make our own computers also chooses to use Dell because of the security our organization needs for the computers which run our mission-critical applications. The Web and I, Inc. represented by Martin Low will do a study of projected expenses for purchase as well as ongoing expenses for maintenance prior to the commencement of the Project. A formalized project management strategy will be used in accordance with best practices.

Implementation Methodology: Project Management

Accountability

There are people who need to be assigned responsibility for actions, decisions, and policies concerning the management of the implementation and governance, all within the scope of their role within the project. In other words, someone puts SharePoint in place; and project management helps this by defining the what, when, why, and where of this implementation.

Sustainability

While preserving the integrity of the platform delivered to the organization, the platform must meet present needs, but also future organizational requirements. These new technological capabilities need to be managed and governed to grow. Project management helps by providing methods so that issues concerning the economic (user requirements in terms of added features or products), social (the ability to enhance and connect people), and environment (the infrastructure can be scaled, for example) are protected and managed.

Resiliency

A SharePoint implementation needs to be robust to survive. All systems must have the ability to provide and maintain an acceptable level of service in the face of faults and challenges to normal operation. Project management provides processes such as configuration management, planning for backup, disaster recovery, monitoring, and performance levels.

Supportability

These technologies need to be looked after. Project management defines the quality-control measures to be enacted by the team that is responsible for the implementation.

As a Project Manager Mr. Low needs to ensure that when describing the four above elements to the Your Company that they understand there is a timeline to put in these technologies. Best practices do not allow for letting the client put together the timeline themselves, because they will start by reasoning that anything they don’t do is easy to do. Designing a platform for mission critical operations cannot be completed in two weeks, for example.

Accountability, supportability, resiliency, and sustainability cannot be assured in a week. Those are continual processes, and to make sure you can apply those means planning through to implementation. The estimated project timeline is one month. Two days for installation of the servers, and one month for ongoing training, quality assurance, contingency planning, and more.

Securing Office Web Apps Server communications by using HTTPS

Office Web Apps Server can communicate with SharePoint 2013, Lync Server 2013, and Exchange Server 2013 by using the HTTPS protocol. In production environments, we strongly recommend that you use HTTPS. You’ll have to have to install an Internet Server certificate that can be assigned to the server that runs Office Web Apps Server (if you are using a single server) or to the load balancer (if you are using multiple servers that run Office Web Apps Server).

With Microsoft server products, properly integrated and implemented, there is no need for expensive Wide Area Network (WAN) solutions, as these server products can be accessed securely over the Internet with 256 bit encryption.

Next Steps

  1. Approval of Project Outline by Your Company
  2. Contract Signing and 10% down payment of consultation budget. (the Web and I, Inc. will sign any confidentiality contracts you may require at this time by authorized signer Martin Low.)
  3. Plan for Procurement Methodology to  be completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  4. Approval of Procurement Methodology for hardware by Your Company
  5. Project Budget to be prepared by the Web and I, Inc.
  6. Project Budget to be approved by Your Company
  7. Project Kick-Off Date selected by Your Company
  8. Staff Selection Completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  9. Staff Approval by Your Company
  10. Technology Maintenance Plan to be completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  11. Technology Maintenance Plan to be approved by Your company
  12. Disaster Management and Recovery Plans to be completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  13. Disaster Management and Recovery Plans to be approved by Your Company
  14. Projected Ongoing Expenses to be completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  15. Projected Ongoing Expenses to be approved by Your Company
  16. Project Plan completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  17. Project Plan Approval by Your Company
  18. Business Process Re-Engineering Plan completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  19. Business Process Re-Engineering Plan approved by Your Company
  20. Software Testing, Quality Assessment and Quality Improvement Plan completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  21. Software Testing, Quality Assessment and Quality Improvement Plan approve by Your Company
  22. Regulatory Compliance Plan to be completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  23. Regulatory Compliance Plan to be approved by the Web and I, Inc.
  24. Staff Training Plan to be completed by the Web and I, Inc.
  25. Staff Training Plan approved by Your Company
  26. Payment of 40% of Consultation Budget and 100% of Hardware and Software. Alternatively hardware and software can be ordered by Martin Low directly at Katonah using Your Company payment methods for shipment to Your Company
  27. Purchase of Servers to be shipped directly to Katonah Office.
  28. Installation and Integration on Project Kick-Off Date to take place on two days.
    1. Project Kick-Off Meeting.
    2. Install Windows Server 2012 on all 8 Servers (6 product servers and two load-balanced web app servers).
    3. Windows 8 Upgrades on all Desktops.
    4. Configuration and Testing of Backup Appliances.

Oct 15

Windows 8 Logo

Windows 8 Features in Depth

With Windows 8 being released on October 26, you may be wondering what Windows 8 is offering at a deeper level. We have been involved in a lot of Windows 8 development, and we are currently writing new applications which will be included in the Windows 8 Store. We have outlined a lot of what we have learned so far that is of business and consumer interest, and we are going to give you everything you need to make decisions and plan on Windows 8 deployment for your office. Windows 8 is truly groundbreaking, and has new methods of human-computer interaction built right in. The new features are well thought out and revolutionary. Windows 8 is the most important release of Windows since Windows 95.

1 Appearance and Accessibility

Many users fear the loss of their desktops and start menus, but nothing could be further from the truth. Users of Windows 8 will find that they have a new desktop environment with the convenience of the new Metro user interface while retaining the classic desktop that they are used to from Windows 7 and previous versions. the start button was replaced with an entire start screen, in fact, you just move your cursor to the lower left side of the screen where the start button was, click the start button that pops up when you hover, and then you are at the start screen. Clicking the Desktop tile returns you to the Desktop again. Rather than losing features and functionality, users retain functionality while adding new functionality.

1.1 Metro User Interface

The Metro user interface was named after the metro systems of major cities. Specifically, the inspiration was the many signs in the better metro systems that are so clear to read and make it easy to get around. Their consistency raises their usefulness, because users always know how they work and what to expect, leading to less need for training and quicker adoption of the full feature set. Windows 8 standardizes the look of the interface inside programs (apps) and removes a lot of excess graphical clutter, known as chrome. Usability improves tremendously when users can get around a program one way and then know how to get around every other program in the Windows Store.

1.1.1 Start

Windows 8 Metro Start Menu

Windows 8 Metro Start Menu

Instead of a start button with a start menu, there is a start menu that takes up an entire screen. This makes it easier to click the larger tiles for programs as well as displaying more information than possible on the smaller start menu of Windows 7 and previous editions. The larger tiles are also easier to use with a touch-screen.

1.1.2 Active tiles

Active Tiles in Windows 8 Metro Interface

Active Tiles in Windows 8 Metro Interface

The tiles are not only a placeholder to launch programs, they also present information that the app makes available on Active tiles. Images, aggregate statistical totals, latest headline, latest message, meeting, and the pictures on your camera are some of the things that you will likely see displayed as a user of Windows 8.

1.1.3 Charms

Windows 8 Metro Interface Charms

Windows 8 Metro Interface Charms

Hover your cursor on the lower-right hand side of your screen and you will see the Charms Bar. Charms are some of the system-wide settings that you need including Device Manager, Windows Search and Windows Shut-Down commands.

1.1.4 Find Apps

Find Apps in Windows 8 Metro Interface

Find Apps in Windows 8 Metro Interface

When you right-click the bottom of the Start Menu, an option button pops up offering to take you to view all apps. There, a list of apps in alphabetical order are there, and you can open apps not on the Start Menu, or you can add their tile to the Start Menu.

1.1.5 Search Apps

Search Apps in Windows 8 Metro Interface

Search Apps in Windows 8 Metro Interface

Using the Search Charm, you can simply search for the app you want to open or add to the Start Menu.

1.1.6 The Desktop (Classic View)

Desktop (Classic View) in Windows 8 Metro Interface

Desktop (Classic View) in Windows 8 Metro Interface

Windows 8 retains the classic desktop with the exception of the hidden start button. It is really there, but you have to hover your cursor over it to reveal it. Clicking the Start Button leads to a full-screen Start Menu instead of the usual menu of Windows 7 and previous editions. Clicking the Desktop tile or opening up a non-Metro app will return you to the Desktop. Users who are not ready to give up old ways of using Windows can be reassured that their user experience will not be too much different than before. The only time the experience will truly be different is in logging in and selecting and opening apps. Eventually, users will grow fond of all of the new features, as they are very well thought-out and useful.

1.2 Windows Store

Windows Store in Windows 8

Windows Store in Windows 8

App Details Page in Windows Store in Windows 8

App Details Page in Windows Store in Windows 8

The Windows Store is where free and commercial apps that are certified and tested for Windows 8 can be bought or obtained free. Any app you get from Windows Store is completely vetted to be free of viruses, malware, adware, or even uninspired programming.

1.3 Sign In (Log In)

The Sign In process in Windows 8 involves logging in with either a Windows Live ID or a Windows Local Account.

Sign In to your PC on Windows 8

Sign In to your PC on Windows 8

1.3.1 Windows Live ID

Log in with a Windows Live ID: Windows 8

Log in with a Windows Live ID: Windows 8

Having a Windows Live ID before installing Windows Live helps. You can turn your preferred business E-Mail and that of your employees into Windows Live ID’s. Then, using Windows 8, you will be able to use the Windows Live ID as a single sign on for Windows, and many other services. Using a Windows Live ID also provides you with tools to save your preferences and windows settings and documents in the Cloud so that you can access them from another computer. This also means that if your computer ever has a massive failure, you simply install Windows 8 on a new computer and log in for the first time with your Windows Live ID. Right away, the new computer will assimilate your files, settings, preferences, even your desktop background and internet favorites. In corporate settings this is also very desirable because the time it takes to migrate users from one computer to another is reduced significantly as well as user complaints.

1.3.2 Local Account

Add a Local Account in Windows 8

Add a Local Account in Windows 8

Sometimes, you do not wish to maintain settings for a user. In that case, there is a very easy way to convert a standards Windows Live ID account into a Local Account by clicking a button and completing this window.

1.3.3 Browse Skydrive

Browsing Skydrive in Windows 8

Browsing Skydrive in Windows 8

Within the Metro user interface, you can browse the photos and documents in your skydrive.

1.4 Multi-monitor Support

Multi-Monitor Support in Windows 8

Multi-Monitor Support in Windows 8

Windows 8 has improved multi-monitor support compared with previous editions. The controls are more intuitive and there is an extra option that users have wanted for a long time: the Taskbar. Now you can configure additional monitors to have the Taskbar. The Start Menu and Charms will also be available on all of the monitors in the same area for a consistent look and feel. There are an increasing number of applications requiring the use of multiple monitors, and now these high-end users will have the tools they need for increased functionality.

1.5 File Explorer

Windows 8 File Explorer

Windows 8 File Explorer

File Explorer is Windows’ successor to Windows Explorer. It has a lot more features and functionality, starting with a ribbon with a lot of common tasks and features available right on the screen. File Explorer has powerful file transfer tools including its’ own download manager, and graphical tools to monitor transfers in real-time. IT staff will be delighted to know that ISO, IMG, and VHD disk image files can be saved to a hard drive and mounted from there. An IT application we have thought of with this for the office is to have installation software disk image files saved to network drives, which can then be mounted on the individual computers to install software without the need to carry around the media.

1.6 Internet Explorer 10

Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 8 using Metro

Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 8 using Metro

Internet Explorer 10 is not just the successor to Internet Explorer 9: it is a whole new browser. Here you can see Internet Explorer in Metro mode with no borders or menus showing. IE 10 runs in Desktop mode as well as in Metro mode, according to the user’s choice at the time. Another important time-saver for IT departments is the fact that Flash is integrated completely into IE 10 in much the same way it is in the Chrome browser. One less thing that needs to be done when setting up a user!

1.7 Task Manager

Windows 8 Task Manager Details Tab

Windows 8 Task Manager Details Tab: you can see more details than in Windows 7 and with a lot less clutter.

Windows 8 Task Manager Process Details

Windows 8 Task Manager Process Details helps make getting a clear view of what is going on with your applications and processor performance simple.

Resource Monitor in Windows 8 Task Manager

Resource Monitor in Windows 8 Task Manager allows you to diagnose performance hang-ups in-depth.

Services Tab in Windows 8 Task Manager

Services Tab in Windows 8 Task Manager

Task manager has the same features and functionality, but with a better design and improved presentation of data.

1.8 Family Safety

Family Safety in Windows 8

Family Safety in Windows 8

Windows 8 has family safety features, which are not just for children. Employers will find that configuring their users with these restrictions will help to enforce almost any policy you can think of, all without a big learning curve.

2 Windows System Infrastructure

There are a lot of internal changes in Windows 8 that help make this new edition great.

2.1 File History

Windows 8 makes incremental backups to the Cloud or external device or network share in order to maintain a plan for data continuity in the event of a local machine failure. We recommend using SkyDrive and SharePoint Server for saving these copies. All files saved are tied to the user’s Windows Live ID, and all files are quickly restored onto a new computer, complete with windows settings and preferences.

2.2 Hardware support

Windows 8 adds support for USB 3.0, which is a lot faster than USB 2.0. In addition to standard Intel processors, there is a version of Windows 8 known as RT which supports the smaller low-power ARM processor. This has made use on small mobile devices possible.

2.3 Installation

Besides a fresh install, users can launch an upgrade assistant which can talk them through the process and move over all of their files and settings into the new Windows 8. If there is a compatibility problem, Windows 8 Setup will undo the changes and restore the old version of Windows to complete functionality.

2.4 Startup

Windows 8 starts up very quickly because the software kernel hibernates on shutdown. The startup also provides support for multiple cores.

2.5 Repair and recovery

Windows 8 has special self-diagnostic and recovery features built-in. The operating system can detect impaired performance and take appropriate measures. In cases of extreme malfunction will re-boot Windows to an Advanced Startup Menu where the user can access the Windows Recovery Environment, where problems can be addressed in a stable, stripped-down environment.

2.6 Security

Windows 8 has Microsoft Security Essentials built-in. The version on Windows 8 protects from viruses, malware, adware, and more. Secure Boot for UFI is supported on new hardware that supports it.

2.7 Video subsystem

Windows 8 comes with WDDM and Direct X pre-installed. The Desktop Window Manager works even with unsupported graphics cards. There is now support for stereoscopic 3D content. Many other technical improvements in video performance were built in to this version of Windows.

2.8 Windows To Go

Users can create a bootable edition of Windows 8 with their files and settings on a flash drive to boot on other machines in any location.

2.9 Integrated Anti-Virus – Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials: Integrated into Windows 8

Microsoft Security Essentials: Integrated into Windows 8

Complete virus and malware protection is included. For high security workplaces, call us about Windows Intune, which provides increased protection and active monitoring.

3 Virtualization

3.1 Hyper-V

Hyper Visor or Hyper V..

3.2 Virtual hard disk format

Windows 8 offers an entirely new and better file  system, which is the best invention since NTFS. The VHD format allows for a tremendous scaling in size, and it offers fault-tolerance features.

3.3 Storage Spaces

Storage Spaces is a new administrative tool offering greater functionality than Disk Manager. It is a tool for creating software RAID schemes with any combination of drives you have.

Oct 14

Windows 8 Logo
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Windows 8 Pricing Released

Windows has released the pricing for Windows 8, as well as the retail editions that will be available immediately upon release October 26, 2012, twelve days from now.

Disk Based Installation

Pricing will vary, but on the low-end of retail, this will be the prices you can expect to pay for disk based installation.

  • Windows 8 Professional Upgrade – $69.99 (save $130)
  • Windows 8 Pro Pack – Product Key Card (no media) – $69.99 (save $30)
  • Windows 8 (Full Version) – OEM $99.99
  • Windows 8 Pro (Full Version) – OEM $139.99

The two OEM products are available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Because of the limitation of memory as well as using 64-bit programming.

Windows 8

Cloud Based Management with Windows Intune

Cloud based management including being able to scan for viruses and having hardware and software inventories, as well as an easy interface to roll-out Windows Updates from a central location is offered with Windows Intune. Boasting an always-on stateful malware and virus protection, Windows Intune comes with a license for Windows 8 Enterprise. The pricing model is monthly subscription, and the price is $11 per month.

Increase Operation Efficiency with Windows Intune from the Web and I

Increase Operation Efficiency with Windows Intune from the Web and I

One of the benefits of windows Intune is the remote management.

Remote Management

Another benefit is that you will be able to support your mobile users seamlessly and be able to have IT staff be able to sign-in and fix computers remotely, roll-out updates, and purge malware and viruses. BitLocker provides additional protection for data by allowing the encryption of entire hard-drives, which makes the Intune platform a must for businesses with sensitive, and expensive data.

Support Mobile Users with Windows Intune

Support Mobile Users with Windows Intune

When you are considering any upgrade to Windows 8, you can call us for more information and we can get started immediately. Call us now at 646-853-0573.

Oct 10

1 Comment

Windows 8: What We Do So You Won’t Have To

Currently, we are testing some of our computers on Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. We are trying to find out any flaws and help Microsoft fix them as well as being prepared when our clients ask us to take advantage of the technology. We prefer to never go into a client’s systems using untested methods, and that means a great deal of testing every time a new version of Windows, Office, or even Internet Explorer comes out.

Windows Server 2012 has some driver issues, which should be resolved soon. We have observed that several types of video driver cards in our experiences with Windows Server 2012 and many more types we have read on the Internet are not recognized and cannot work with the default driver from Microsoft on. The manufacturers are working on creating Windows Server 2012. Microsoft will probably adapt the more successful Windows 8 Default Display Adapter Driver which works better. That driver allows use of the hardware while the version with Windows Server 2012 did not.

Windows 8 is rather radically different from Windows 7. Contrary to other reports I had read, you can get to the desktop, but you have to click on a tile. All the Windows 8 Start Screen really is the contents of your Windows Start button, blown up to the size of your screen. You can switch to your desktop, but there will be no start menu on your desktop. Just hovering your cursor over the lower-left-hand corner of your desktop will show an icon for Start which you have to click, and then you will be back to the start menu.  The start menu is completely customizable, and you see a limited number of tiles which are much easier to click than the tiny icons on the old Windows Start Menu. If you don’t see the right program, you right-click the Start Screen, and click the All Apps button that now appears on the lower-right-hand side of your screen.

We are sure that Windows 8 is great. We are working on being one of the first 2000 developers to get an app in the Windows Store.

Meanwhile we are putting a lot of hours into finding out the answers to all of your Windows 8 questions, so you won’t have to.

If you have any needs with Windows 8 or business computing in general, please give us a call at 646-853-0573.

Oct 9

Sharepoint-2010_logo
2 Comments

Controlling Where Users Save Documents

There are several levels of lock-down security that can be implemented to ensure documents are saved to a specific location, including network drive or SharePoint library. The requirements of document storage and the amount of security determine the method which will be used for enforcing your policy.

Passive Measures

The first, simplest, and most cost-effective, especially when you have a number of workstations, is to limit where Microsoft Office documents are save, by using settings within Microsoft Office itself. Each program employees are using needs their settings individually set to your chosen location. This is especially useful for organizations wishing to have their users save to a SharePoint location, since SharePoint is optimized to be at its’ best for Microsoft Office documents, and most organizations are using Microsoft Office exclusively. This method can also be used for network drives as well.

If an organization that wants their users to save to SharePoint and does not require users to have the advanced features of the Desktop version of Microsoft Office, then they can set options within the SharePoint library to cause the documents to be opened directly within SharePoint using the Web Edition Programs of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. That is not practical however for special archives where documents are being prepared from templates with many features and defaults, because it would change the nature of future documents as well as past documents, should they be edited post-implementation. However if you are a small business just starting out, limiting use to the Web application and not installing Office on the local machine enforces strictly that all work gets done in SharePoint. This is also helpful with older computers, which may be very slow running Microsoft Office. Running on the Web Application provides another advantage: you are just running a web browser; the actual application performance will be faster, for the Web Application is running on the Servers.

Policy Enforcement

Mapping My Desktop and My Documents Folder to

The two methods above only involve saving Office Documents, but some organizations are also saving Adobe Acrobat *.pdf and / or Image *.bmp *.jpg *.gif *.png files of substantial importance, then you may want to include additional features. Most people save documents to their “My Desktop” or “My Documents” folder. This procedure can be used to enforce saving documents through proper configuration.

The first step is to use the Registry Editor’s HKEY Current User Software Microsoft Windows Current Version, Policies, and Explorer. Simply create a new DWORD named NoDrives. The value of the DWORD needs to be in hexadecimal format. You can blank out one or more drives, and the value of the letters A-Z of one or more drives need to be converted into a hexadecimal value. Arrange the letters from Z-A (Descending Order). Put a zero under each drive letter you are not hiding and a one under the ones you are. Starting with the one furthest to the left, you have a binary number. Convert the binary number to hexadecimal and enter it into the DWORD value.  When a user opens up My Computer, they will now see all drives except the ones that have been hidden according the hexadecimal encoding.   At this point, you will have successfully hidden the drives of the local machine.

Now map your network drive to the machine if this has not been done already or map the SharePoint library as a drive. Multiple SharePoint libraries can be assigned multiple network drive locations. Target both the My Documents and My Desktop folders to folders with the same names created into the appropriate target destinations using folder and search options of these folders.

Further Security Application for SharePoint

If you have SharePoint 2010 or Office 365 with SharePoint 2010, you have additional options available to protect important documents. Specifically there is a check in and check out version control that can be implemented very quickly and easily within the settings of each SharePoint document library. When you add this level of security, each person who wants to edit a document signs it out. This prevents one person from signing it out except as read only until the other user checks it back in. It is easily apparent who has stewardship of the document in question, and if anything goes wrong, an administrator can undo the latest checkout and have the last version intact. Version control allows both major and minor versions, and you can keep all versions of a document or restrict the versioning to a particular number. Strict archives will do well to enforce major and minor versions with enforced checkout maintaining all versions without limitation by number of versions. Storage conscious small businesses may elect to keep only 5 versions of a document, to improve storage utilization. However we advise organizations to carefully check their compliance requirements, for we are very sensitive to the needs of organizations to maintain compliance to industry standards as well as, state, federal, and local government standards.

Who Have We Helped With These Issues Recently

Drossman and Associates http://jdlaw1.com

Hunter College http://www.hunter.cuny.edu

We would love to include you among those who we have helped. Call us now at 646-853-0573.

Sep 30

Windows 8
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Windows 8 and New Ways of Working

Even though it seems that Windows 7 is still new, Windows 8 will be released on October 26, 2012.

The first thing that you will notice about Windows is that it emphasizes the applications. The Start Button has been replaced by the Start Screen. The Start Screen is an entire screen covered in tiles representing the applications that are installed. You access the Start Screen by hovering over the lower-left-hand corner of the screen. From the Start Screen you will see all of your programs, access to the control panel, and a link named “Desktop” which closes the Start Screen, returning the user to the Desktop. What applications can you run on Windows 8? Most of the Windows 7 64 bit compatible applications on the Market and some of the 32 bit will run just fine on Windows 8. Developers are also hustling to get their Windows applications ready by getting the Windows 8 Certified by Microsoft.

If you have a touch-screen for your desktop PC, tablet, or notebook, you will see that the interface is designed to take full advantage of touch-screen capabilities. The Start Screen is very amenable to use by touch-screen, because the program icons are finger-tip sized on a small screen and up to only an inch or so on a large monitor. Windows can be resized by dragging the corners, and they can be moved with the user’s fingers as well.

There are notable security features that will interest the business owners seeking to lower their liability exposure. The first and most important is the built-in anti-virus capabilities of the Operating System. The second is a secure-boot feature, which requires the operating system software to be digitally signed, to prevent the introduction of malware.

Windows 8 Notebooks

A small and energy-efficient processor not as powerful as the Pentium processors we have all been using for years, the ARM processor is about to make news because of Windows 8. Windows 8 RT is a new edition of Windows created specifically for the ARM processor. This opens up a whole new set of possibilities in laptops, tablets, and other mobile devices.

At our office we have tested both Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, which is the server edition of Windows 8. We are excited about the new system, it certainly has a lot to offer the business world, but it also is of interest to consumers who are in the market for tablets. We thought that the performance was just like it was with Windows 7, but that the interface was far superior to Windows 7.

When you’re ready to take you business to the next level with Windows 8, it is time to give the Web and I a call. Because with all of the versions available for Windows 8, the best one with the most features suited to business and not to entertainment is Windows 8 Enterprise Edition. The Enterprise Edition is not available in stores, you have to call on Microsoft Partners like us to get it through an agreement with Microsoft. Call us right away at 646-853-05733.

Aug 17

2 Comments

Windows 8 and the Changes That Will Change How You Compute

Windows 8 has not been experienced by many people, because the consumer preview did not have all of the features, and because the official launch has not happened yet. Many are interested not just in the new features, but what the paradigmatic change in the user experience will be, once there is no more Windows Start button. There are a lot of changes that make Windows 8 from just another Operating system roll-out. There are security and functionality enhancements, as well as a cleaner and less confusing interface. Previous functionality is missing, replaced with new functionality, and users are already beginning to wonder what the changes are going to do for them, and why these changes were important in the first place!

The first thing that is going to change is that more users will want to try to add touch-screen technology as an additional way to interface with their computer or other device besides the keyboard and mouse. Some worry that the keyboard and mouse will be phased out due to lack of demand, however the number of third-party keyboards being sold for the iPad and other tablets and even phones is evidence enough that the keyboard is here to stay. Less clear than that is the fate of the mouse, which can be easily replaced by touching and tapping on a screen. However I am sure that mice and trackballs in keyboards are here to stay: humanity stays with the familiar, and the QWERTY keyboard we all grew to know on the typewriter has finally made it to the PC, blackberry, and iPad.

Now that you know that you have either the choice to explore touch-screen or you can continue to use a traditional keyboard and mouse, as I do, you might worry about the lack of a start menu. This removal of the Windows Start Button and Start Menu is worrying so many people, and it will be hyped many more times in respectable journals from now through Christmas. It is nothing but hype. While it is true that the start key and start menu have been removed, they have been replaced with a tiles system that you can lay out in a convenient way. You will be using your entire desktop background as a giant start menu. Another improvement which is not immediately obvious but will prove very important is the removal of the application icons. The icons and font styling of many applications force you to re-focus to the style of each particular application. With Windows 8, the icon and most of the visual customizations are gone, giving you a consistent look and feel when looking at titles and statuses of applications, without the need to immerse oneself into the world of that application. Together this will mean that there is indeed a super-start menu instead of the one that was there before.

With Windows 7, users were generally using the Windows user interface on their  desktops, possibly on their laptops, but they were unlikely to use it on their phones and tablets. With Windows 8, the phone, the desktop, the laptop, and the tablet will share the same style of desktop and operation. Many people will also be using SkyDrive or Office 365 SharePoint for storage, and this integration with the cloud will link their documents and settings across devices for a seamless user experience everywhere. This will be helpful at home, at work, and on-the-go.

Once people try out Windows 8, they will find that many of the things about Windows that were annoying, are now gone. They will see improvements that go beyond what they have imagined, and of course the same completely stable Windows core that we have all grown to know and love with Windows 7, with enhancements, will give us the reliability everybody has come to expect.

 

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