What goes on (that you cannot see) on your Computer Network

We recently found a corrupt print job on a customer's computer network that was using 50% of the CPU by the Print Spooler.  The Print Spooler, also called the Queuing System, manages printer use on computer systems that have more than one printer, and a 50% usage causes a much slower computer network. 

 

The corrupt print job occurred months ago, but wasn't found until our customer took advantage of our "5 to 50" Computer Network Support Service.  Part of this service is 24/7 Network Monitoring, allowing us to foresee and diagnose problems much faster, and in some cases, remedy the situation immediately without having to go on-site. 

 

If this was an existing customer why wasn't this problem found earlier?

 

Typically, Computer Support is based on what we call a "Break & Fix" model.  Unless there is a problem or a project, we are NOT involved in the day-to-day management of our customer's network.  However our "5 to 50" service is a Pro-active Support model, which delivers computer support at a flat monthly fee that our customers can budget for just like rent.  And part of this service is the 24/7 Monitoring, which is constantly scanning the network looking for problem that might not be seen by an end-user.  In the case of the high CPU usage on the Server, our customer really didn't notice anything until after the problem was fixed, and they noticed everything running faster.

 

If your business has 5 or more workstations, and is located in the Vancouver Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley, we'd welcome the opportunity to manage your Computer Network.  Contact us anytime at 604-484-5141 in Vancouver or 604-864-0465 in Abbotsford.

 

Chris Miles                                                       Follow me on Twitter

604-484-4218 direct

cmiles@insightit.ca

 

Insight Information Technology

604-484-5141 Lower Mainland

604-864-0465 Fraser Valley

 

www.insightit.ca

 

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An Inexpensive Way To Help Ensure Business Continuity

There was a great article in the February Business In Vancouver newspaper, written by Alan Zisman.  In the High Tech Office section, the headline reads "Lessons from another malware meltdown".  The article explains how by mid-January of this year millions of Windows systems had been successfully attacked by malware, even though Microsoft had released a patch in October.  It goes on to explain how easily one infected machine can spread throughout a network, even a network that is behind a firewall.  "Infected systems are hooked into botnets, serving up mass amounts of spam e-mail messages. An estimated 90% of all spam comes from such botnets."

 

For business owners, the lesson learned is to ensure all your machines, including Desktops, Laptops and Servers have Virus Protection and they have been regularly updated and are always current.  I'd argue that your Virus Protection be updated automatically, without you thinking about it, or without your staff or IT guy needing to update manually.  Now here's the Sales Pitch.  Insight IT customers, who take advantage of our "5 to 50" Computer Support Service have the option of our Virus Protection service that is always current 24/7.  Nothing for your staff to do, and each machine is monitored around the clock, 365 days per year.

 

Click here, to read Alan Zisman's Business In Vancouver article.

 

And if you are interested in an inexpensive way to ensure your Computer Network is safe, contact us anytime.  Insight Information Technology or Insight IT for short delivers Enterprise Computer Support at a Small Business price, for organizations throughout Vancouver BC Lower Mainland, Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.

 

Chris Miles                       Follow me on Twitter

604-484-4218 direct

cmiles@insightit.ca

 

 

Posted via email from chrismiles's posterous

Web Enable Your Microsoft Applications

Imagine running ALL your Windows Applications over the Internet, from any Workstation or Browser, anywhere in the World!

 

Let's say you're working from your home, maybe on the family Mac.  And you need to access an important Windows application that you run from your PC back at the office.  All you need to do is fire-up your web browser, log-in to a secure web site and there is the Windows application you need.  Just like at your workstation back at the office, you can open, change, save and delete documents remotely, and even send print jobs to your local printer at home.

 

Or maybe you're running a new feature rich application in your office, but don't want to upgrade all your PC's.  Now older, under powered workstations can access the new application using only a web browser.

 

Another example is a Law Firm who, instead of investing in new machines with Microsoft's Vista Operating System, he chose to implement less expensive Linux software.   All his existing applications worked fine, except for one that he simply Web Enabled allowing all users to access from any desktops, either in the office or from a remote location. 

 

Web enabling any Windows, Unix or Linux application is made available through a product called Go-Global from GraphOn.    With Go-Global you can access applications from any platform, take advantage of enhanced security and eliminate Citrix and Terminal Server.  Not only is GO-Global an efficient Web-enabling and application publishing solution, it's also a cross-platform solution. So now Linux users can run Windows applications. Windows users can run UNIX and Linux programs. Mac users can run Windows applications. Windows 98 users can Windows XP programs. You get the picture, right? Mix and match for the most effective application access solution.

 

How Go-Global Works:

 

GO-Global consists of two parts: the GO-Global server software and the GO-Global client software. The GO-Global server software runs on a central server along with the application being published. Each client device runs one of the GO-Global client software modules which are available as native thin clients or as browser plug-ins.

 

You can click here to see an interactive Flash presentation of GO-Global's Web-enabling and application publishing features.

 

If you looking to connect remote users or get more from your existing PC's, contact us anytime.  We offer Computer Network Support and Repair for business customers throughout Vancouver BC, Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley. 

 

Chris Miles

Insight Information Technology

cmiles@insightit.ca  

604-484-4218 Direct

 

604-484-5141 Lower Mainland

604-864-0465 Abbotsford

604-357-1471 Fax

 

"Let Us Manage IT"

  www.InsightIT.ca

Posted via email from chrismiles's posterous

Why BC Law Firms Need Document Management Software

Law Firms located in the Vancouver Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley may find an article I found interesting. It’s called "Why Legal Firms Need Document Management Software", and I found it at the Web Site of Knowledge Tree.

KnowledgeTree is an easy to use Document Management system that allows Law Firms to secure, share, track and manage the documents and records they depend on. It integrates with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, and you can drag and drop documents directly from the Microsoft Windows Desktop. As a side note, Knowledge Tree is also used by members of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Some of our Novell customers use the Document Management system that has been INCLUDED with GroupWise, while other clients that are using Outlook or have very specific requirements are looking for an affordable Document Management system that can still integrate with their Accounting and Time & Billing applications.

If you need more information on What is Document Management, click here.

And if you are adding Document Management, or looking for support for your Windows, Linux or Novel network, contact us anytime. Insight IT provides Computer Network Support and Repair for business customers throughout Vancouver BC and the Fraser Valley.

Chris Miles
Insight Information Technology
cmiles@insightit.ca
604-484-4218 Direct

604-484-5141 Lower Mainland
604-864-0465 Abbotsford
604-357-1471 Fax

"Let Us Manage IT"
www.InsightIT.ca

Insight Information Technology becomes Microsoft Partner

When you compare us to many Systems Integrators out there, announcing a Partnership with Microsoft calls for a loud “so what”! But you see, for many years Insight IT was known as a Novell Shop. As a Novell Gold Partner Insight was (and still is) the “go to” company if you ran a Novell network. Whether you used Netware or upgraded to Suse Linux, we knew Novell, Linux and Open Source.

While many of our customers had a Netware or Linux Server, almost all ran Microsoft on the desktop. So by default, we always supported Microsoft Software. These days, as we grow, more and more of our new customers are running Windows Servers, and in many cases Microsoft’s Small Business Server.

To ensure that we keep current, Insight Information Technology became a Microsoft Partner Program Registered Member. While many of our competitors only understand one Operating System, Insight IT customers can enjoy the option to choose one or more and know they will be supported.

About Us:

Insight Information Technology (or Insight IT for short) provides Computer Network Support and Repair for Vancouver Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley business.

Contact us anytime if you have any questions, or visit our web site at www.ComputerSupportInVancouver.com.

Chris Miles
Insight Information Technology
cmiles@insightit.ca
604-484-4218 Direct

604-484-5141 Lower Mainland
604-864-0465 Abbotsford
604-357-1471 Fax

"Let Us Manage IT"

Insight IT partners with Zenith Infotech

Typically businesses that outsource their IT support generally have a "Break and Fix" relationship with a Systems Integrator. In other words, when there is a problem with your Computer Network, you place a call to your IT guy; they come in and fix the problem, then send you an invoice. This form of support is very Reactive, and the time it takes between your call for support and getting the problem fixed can be very unproductive. As well, the more problems on your network, the more your Computer Support person earns.

Although Insight IT has a number of "Break/Fix" customers, we are moving many to a more Proactive support model. The model is often called "Managed Services", or "Fixed-Fee" IT support. Business customers pay a fixed monthly rate, for which Systems Integrators (like us) support your Computer Network. Now if there is a problem it's on our dime, not yours! Therefore we invest in tools to help us deliver support faster and less expensively. It is in our best interest to ensure that support issues are reduced considerably.

To help us deliver our Fixed-Fee support, Insight partnered with Zenith Infotech. Zenith is an international company serving IT Service Providers worldwide. Zenith engineers remotely and securely monitor, maintain and manage desktops, servers, network devices and applications at end-customers' locations over the Internet.

A huge advantage is now problems are often found and fixed quickly, often in minutes. As well, Software Updates, Virus and Spyware Protection and Patch Management is managed 24/7 by trained professionals instead of your non-technical employees.

For more information about Insight's Fixed-Fee service, here is a link to our "5 to 50" Computer Network Support Service.

Insight Information Technology (or Insight IT for short) supports Windows, Linux and Novell networks, throughout the Vancouver BC Lower Mainland, Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.

Contact us anytime, and if you are a new customer to us and have 5 to 50 computers, we’d like offer you 2 FREE hours of computer support with no strings attached, no small print, and absolutely zero obligations to do or buy anything!