September  2008
In this issue...

 ►Already Using VoIP?
 ►Summer Storms
 ►How Big is Your Mailbox
 ►Productivity Calling
 ►GN Delivery Improvements
 
 

GN Delivery Improvements

At SLPowers we are constantly looking for ways to improve our service delivery. Over the last few months we have made some changes to our process to raise our efficiency level which will allow us to spend more time working with our clients to streamline their systems. Recently we revised our GN client intake process, added additional spyware protection for managing systems, and updated the way our systems monitor Symantec Backup Exec backup jobs.

When SLPowers began offering the Guaranteed Networks program, we devised an intake checklist to make sure all the necessary tasks were completed properly. As with all of our processes, several improved revisions have been put in place since the beginning. We are now revisiting this issue with all of our GN clients to ensure that we have the up to date process, documentation, and best practices deployed for all GN client regardless of when the client came on board. Over the last few weeks, each member of the Technical Services department has been assigned the task of re-filing the GN Ramp Up Checklist for each of their clients.

Beginning in August, SLPowers deployed Spybots Anti-Spyware application at no additional cost to our clients. This supplements the existing installation of CounterSpy as we have found that running two anti-spyware applications in scan only mode provides the best protection for desktops. Spybot is scheduled to run on the Desktop Agent every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:15am. If the schedule is missed, a scan runs 15 minutes after the desktop is powered on.

 


Just for Laughs
Already Using VoIP?
Give Productivity a Boost by Going Wireless

If you're serious about lowering business expenses and increasing efficiency, you may already be among the growing number of SMBs using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to offset telecommunications expenses.

But did you know that by blending VoIP technology with your existing wireless LAN, you can make another leap in productivity -- through a new technology called wireless VoIP?

The idea may not be so strange.

In recent months, more and more businesses with 10- to 50-person networks are realizing Voice over Wi-Fi technology is within their grasp. By using it, these SMBs are leveraging the power of converged wireless communications to transport telephone traffic to and from mobile users.

How It Works
Summer storms and your UPS
(Uninterruptible Power Supply) devices and surge protectors
by Michael Appollo, CTO, NST
   

We hope you have have successfully weathered the summer storms. Now is a good time to check your UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) devices and surge protectors because there is a good chance they have taken some voltage hits and suffered power outages.

Larger UPS devices, otherwise known as Battery Backups, may have power indicators that tell you how much battery capacity is left. Smaller devices may not have such indicators. If they are connected to a computer, chances are good they came with some software that gathers that information. Opening the software can give you some general idea of the overall health of your UPS. Either way, you can't always believe the lights and software; the best test of a UPS is to periodically unplug it fromt the wall and seeing how long the items plugged in still run. Most UPS devices will beep until power is restored, so this is normal behavior.

Read more
How Big is Your Mailbox?

We have spent a lot of time recently (which translates to a lot of extra expense for some of our customers) troubleshooting, managing, and working with VERY large mailboxes.

From a purely technical standpoint, once a mailbox gets over a GB in size, it starts to become a minor challenge in terms of supporting it, speed of access and search, and management in general. Once a mailbox gets to be over 2 GB in size, we start to run into some very serious limitations that will manifest in support, management, and disaster recovery scenarios.

Believe us when we say we are VERY heavy Outlook users, but using a few simple techniques, it is not much of a challenge at all to keep our own mailboxes under the 1 GB limit we need to keep us ‘light on our feet’ with our own mailboxes.
Productivity Calling
VoIP Can Dial In Rewards for Your Growing Business

Your company's IP network already enables your employees to use the internet, e-mail and web resources on the job. But did you know the very same technology can help your company save money -- by transmitting phone calls through voice data in packets using IP rather than a traditional phone line?

If your company is like many SMBs, you're on a fast track of growth but want to keep your business expenses from running amuck. One way to achieve both goals is through a robust technology called Voice over IP (VoIP).

This technology was once touted as a solution of the future, and today is already proving its worth for many SMBs seeking to prepare for the future.

What exactly is VoIP?
Simply stated, VoIP converts the voice signal from a user's telephone into a digital packet that travels over the internet, and then converts the data packet back to voice on the receiver's end. The benefits of this technology are numerous -- making it perfect for businesses that want to switch from standard (analog) phone calls to a more cost-effective alternative.

Here's why: