Tech in Plain English | Jason Palmer, CPA, CITP

Image Backup – True one-click Restore for Disaster Recovery

July 16, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

Image Backup is the only true one-click Restore option for recovering from a hard drive failure. An Image Backup makes an exact mirror copy of your hard drive at a point in time.

It is the best of both worlds as you can either Restore your entire computer, like to a brand new hard drive after a failure, or you can select individual files, like that important proposal that you accidentally deleted today, but you know you backed up a few days ago.

The true value of Image Backup software is the incredible time savings in the recovery process and the speed at which you can get back to work and be productive after a hard drive failure. Everything on your computer will be restored like a photocopy back to the time of the last Image Backup. If you backup nightly, the amount of potential data loss is minimized to less than a day.

[Mac users with current generation equipment have Apple Time Machine which offers a proprietary Apple backup solution that essentially accomplishes the same effect as an Image Backup and Restore.]

Many of you are probably thinking, I use DropBox or Mozy, or Carbonite or some other File-by-File, (more specifically “File only”) backup solution. Well some form of backup is better than none but here is the dark secret: Sure your critical data files are protected, but what about everything else? How do you get back all of those Windows Operating System files, software applications like Microsoft Office, your Outlook email and calendar, printer software, scanning software and drivers so that you can access your critical “backed up” data files? The short answer is you really don’t – at least not easily.

Question: How many of you have “all” of your original software installation disks for every software application presently installed on your computer AND the license keys? Did you make that set of Windows Operating System Recovery Disks that you were prompted to make in the first weeks of owning your computer? I am sure that everyone here has their Microsoft Office License Key right? No? I thought so.

Let’s use the following example: Assuming you had all of the above, after a hard drive failure, the manufacturer sends you a replacement hard drive that is completely empty. (Regardless of if you install it or the manufacturer sends out a tech, it is still empty.) It does not even have the original Windows Operating System on it. (Blame Microsoft who claims it is to prevent piracy.) Instead, you have to play computer technician and install a factory fresh copy of the appropriate version of Windows to your computer from a set of Recovery Disks. (Even if you paid for Software Support from the Manufacturer, all the tech will do is install the Windows Operating System – nothing else.) This takes about one to two hours.

Then, you have install any hardware manufacturer specific drivers for your Video Card, Network Card, Motherboard, Audio/Sound card and possibly WebCam and apply the hundreds of megabytes of Microsoft Security Updates and Operating System Patches.

Now it is on to the Applications: You have to re-install Microsoft Office, your Printer Driver Software, Adobe Acrobat Reader (or perhaps Professional), Adobe Flash, Adobe Shockwave, JAVA, and maybe iTunes, AOL Instant Messenger or Skype. If you have a label printer or scanner, you have to re-install that software too. Are you getting the picture here? Hopefully there is a Star Wars Trilogy on TV because you have about six hours to kill while your computer dutifully takes in disk after disk.

And, every piece of software just mentioned in our example probably has an update so Microwave another bag of Popcorn and see what’s on Comedy Central because at this point you really need some Comic Relief.

If you had an Image Backup of your hard drive before the failure, you would place a CD-Rom Boot Recovery Disk (or bootable USB drive) in to your computer after installing the replacement hard drive and simply turn the computer on. In a few moments, you would be asked to point to the location of your Image Backup Set – which would most likely be on the External Hard Drive you use for your daily backup. Then, after selecting the most recent Image Backup, you would sit back for about 45 minutes to an hour and upon completion of the restoration process the Computer would restart and all would be as it was before – EXACTLY.

Your desktop wallpaper, every icon on the desktop, every application fully functional, every file exactly where you left it, every song, picture, Word document, PDF – everything would be identical and 100% operational as if nothing had ever happened (up to the point of the time and date of the Image Backup.)

The last paragraph is a real world example. Today I was at a Business client where Symantec System Recovery for Desktops is installed. (The data files are synchronized and stored on the Office Network File Server and backed up separately.) The hard drive of one notebook computer failed and a replacement hard drive arrived today. This notebook is used by a CPA and it had at least twenty Accounting specific applications, many of which were complex to install and configure, along with dozens of desktop icon short-cuts on the desktop. (Because the applications and configuration do not change that often, we refresh this notebook Backup Image about once a week or when applications are updated. Daily Backups are recommend for any home or single PC user where both the applications and data are stored on the local hard drive instead of an Office Network File Server.)

I installed the new hard drive in the notebook in about ten minutes, started the notebook with the Recovery Program (on a USB drive instead of a CD-Rom), did a couple of mouse clicks to point to the latest Backup Image and in under an hour, the user had his computer back EXACTLY as it was with every application fully functional and icon in its’ place.

File-by-File backup makes Recovery of the Operating System and Applications a Disaster.

Image Backup Software provides true Disaster Recovery that is completely painless.

Note: This article discusses Image Backup Software for Desktops. Similar editions exist for File Servers. For complex Server environments, a combination of both Image Backup Software and dedicated File-by-File Backup Software is more appropriate especially when applications such as Microsoft Exchange, Sharepoint or Microsoft SQL are involved. All of the vendors listed below have a full line and range of Image and File-by-File products for desktops, Servers, and Virtual Machines.

Here is a list of Image Backup Software Products that I like and work:

Symantec System Recovery – Available for Desktops and File Servers
http://www.symantec.com/theme.jsp?themeid=system-recovery

Storagecraft Shadow Protect Desktop
http://www.storagecraft.com/shadow_protect_desktop.php

Acronis – True Image Home Desktop
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage

Acronis – True Backup & Recovery Business Workstation (Desktop)
http://www.acronis.com/backup-recovery/workstation

Office365 Hosted Microsoft Exchange Email – The Better Value

July 15, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

Microsoft Office365 as a hosted Exchange platform offers an almost unbeatable value especially if you are tied to Outlook and a Smartphone or Blackberry. Starting at $4 per month for a basic 25GB mailbox, you get all of the features of the Microsoft Exchange experience plus ActiveSync for mobile devices (iPhones, iPads, Androids) and optionally, the Blackberry Enterprise Server functionality if you are a Blackberry user.

Prior to Microsoft Office365, to have the equivalent hosted Microsoft Exchange and ActiveSync or Blackberry Enterprise Server experience from many of the well-known Internet Providers would have cost four times as much. (The introduction of Office365 has narrowed that gap to only twice as much for essentially the same service offering.)

One of the best features of Microsoft Exchange as an email platform is the ability to have absolutely synchronized mailbox folders between Outlook and any Smartphone, iPad, iPhone, Android, and Outlook Web Access. That means that no matter how you connect to your email account, every received and sent message, along with your calendar, will be visible on every device at all times. When you send a message from your mobile phone, it will synchronize and show up in the “sent” folder of your desktop copy of Outlook.

This seamless synchronization alone knocks out the free POP3/IMAP email accounts provided by the hosting providers such as GoDaddy, Yahoo, 1and1, or Rackspace. Sure, IMAP can give you a similar synchronized email experience but IMAP cannot help you with your Outlook calendar.

The obvious benefit of an off-premise, Microsoft Cloud based solution for hosting of your email vs. having your own on-premise email Server is virtually zero downtime and the ability to access your email at any time as long as you can find an Internet connection.

The next time a hurricane or windstorm sweeps through your area and knocks out the lines, any email being sent to you will be waiting for you as soon as your Internet access is restored or you can find an area that has Internet Access for you to connect – either with your Smartphone, Tablet, or Web Browser.

From a capital vs. operational cost point of view, there are those who will say, “If I purchase Microsoft Small Business Server, which includes Microsoft Exchange Licenses or even if I purchase Microsoft Exchange Licenses separately, it is a one-time fixed purchase cost. And, if I purchase a Hosted Exchange product, like Office365, I keep paying forever…”

This is all absolutely correct but there is much more to consider.

Overlooked are the additional capital costs of more powerful Server hardware and the storage required to maintain an on-premise Microsoft Exchange environment. Then there are the required license upgrades every two to three years. And for any of you that presently have a Microsoft Windows Server with on-premise Exchange, you know that the Servers do not maintain themselves. There is a never-ending series of payments to your outside IT Consultant or in larger organizations, the full time Microsoft Exchange guru to keep email operational. Even if you have a full time IT Staff, Microsoft Exchange requires some portion of their time on a continuing basis.

When you combine one-time capital and on-going operational costs together, all of these items make for a more expensive Total Cost of Ownership for on-premise Exchange then the fixed price monthly fee for Microsoft Office365 in the Cloud.

The often ignored Elephant in the room is the real tangible cost of “down time” or your inability to access your email and calendar due to equipment failure, software failure, a virus, loss of power, or what I like to call “premature building failure”, (a complete destruction of your office – think 9/11.)

Surveys show that email and calendar access are the most critical business applications. Is your business any different? Can you afford to lose access to your email and calendar? If so, for how long? An hour, a half a day, a whole day? And, maybe longer if there is an area wide disaster like the Hurricanes and Tropical Storms that swept through the East Coast in 2011 where some areas did not get their power back for over a week. No power to your office, no access to your email – and this completely ignores that even if you have power, are the wires that carry the Internet Access to your office up and operating? Communications lines are last ones on utility poles to get restored. Electrical Power always comes first.

With access to email and calendar applications, most businesses can continue to function and remain somewhat productive in times of crisis.

The slight premium of $48/year for a basic Microsoft Office365 Hosted Exchange account vs. an on-premise Exchange solution is both assurance that your Microsoft Exchange will always be maintained at the latest version with the newest features and insurance against loss of productivity due to the inability to access your office email Server.

In the long run, Microsoft Office365 lowers your total cost of ownership by providing you with greater reliability and access to your email and calendar than most small businesses could afford to implement on their own. And, the beauty of the product is that you can implement it for an office of one person or a staff of thousands.

To Learn More About Office365:

http://www.office365.com

To Sign Up for, click:

Office365 – Exchange Online (Plan 1) $4/Month

Office365 – Office Online (Plan E1) $8/Month

Office365 – Office Online (Plan E2) $14/Month

Office365 – Office Online (Plan E3) $20/Month

Office365 – Office Online (Plan E4) $22/Month

AppleCare Protection Plans – It’s Genius

July 14, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

AppleCare Protection Plans are a necessary component of any Apple Product Purchase. AppleCare is Apple’s own hardware and software support offering delivered via phone or at any Apple Store.

AppleCare adds anywhere from 15% to 30% of the purchase price but extends the coverage from one year to two years for iPods, iPhones, and iPads and to three years for Macs, Mac Books, and iMacs. While under warranty only Apple or Apple Authorized Service centers can repair your units. Once the warranty expires, there are a variety of service shops that can replace cracked screens and cases on iPods, iPads, and iPhones and others that can do more advanced repairs on Macs, Mac Books, and iMacs.

If your iPod, iPhone, or iPad is under AppleCare, instead of getting a repair to your original unit, you get an Apple Brown Box (Factory Refurbished to like new) unit in exchange. For Mac Books, Pros, iMacs, and Macs, if within the warranty or under AppleCare, these units are repaired by Apple directly and in extreme cases are completely replaced with Apple Brown Box (Factory Refurbished to like new units.)

The most compelling feature of AppleCare is the significantly discounted Accidental Damage replacement option, up to two times, on any iPod, iPhone, or iPad for a flat $49 fee. Considering that cost of an iPad ranges from $499 to $829, with AppleCare at an additional $99, one cracked screen and $49 puts you ahead of the game. (AppleCare at $99 plus Replacement Fee of $49 is $148 which is significantly less then purchasing a new one or even the exchange/replacement option described below.)

If you have an Original iPad/ iPad2 and crack the screen and you do not have AppleCare, the cost of an exchange/replacement iPad2 at an Apple Store is $249 at the Genius Bar. (The cost would be $299 to replace the new iPad – a.k.a. iPad3.)

Realize that with or without AppleCare, you can walk out of an Apple Store with a Factory Refurbished iPad that might as well be brand new because you cannot tell the difference as the case and glass are in perfect condition.

The above experience with a cracked iPad2 screen is real. The names and genders have been carefully omitted to protect those claiming innocence.

Our story begins in 2011 when a family member purchased an iPad2 for another family member for a birthday and overlooked the purchase of AppleCare. The iPad2 was dropped or banged up against something and the Touch Screen cracked. My first inclination was to look for one of the many iPad Repair Services on the Internet. Price, speed of repair, and location were all considerations. Candidly, I did not have a week or more for shipping back and forth to another State. I found a top rated repair shop, actually with the lowest price of $130 in Hoboken NJ, just a PATH ride from Midtown Manhattan. They could even do the repair, “while you wait.”

If I were to hike out to Hoboken and wait for the repair, it would take me a minimum of four hours, assuming approximately two hours of roundtrip transit and about two hours or so for the repair. To do the repair, they pry apart the iPad2 and replace the damaged screen. A major consideration of not having the unit repaired vs. just going to the Apple Store for an exchange was not knowing if the screen was the only component that was actually damaged. And, then I had to consider four hours of my time vs. an approximate $100 savings ($150 Repair plus Transit vs. $249 for Apple Store Exchange) – and getting back a year plus old iPad2 that might still have other issues.

I decided that I would have the best outcome with the least amount of aggravation by simply making an Apple Store Genius Bar Appointment and exchanging the damaged iPad2 for a “Brown Box” Apple Factory Replacement unit.

I could not have had a more pleasant or better experience at the Apple Genius Bar.

Within minutes of my appointment time, an “Apple iPad Genius” made an introduction, surveyed the situation with the iPad2, took down the serial number, completed some quick electronic paperwork, and went in to the back room to get a replacement iPad2. Then, verified that there was a current iCloud backup of the damaged iPad2 data, had me wipe our personal data from the damaged iPad2, helped me setup the replacement iPad2 and restore the data from iCloud. I was in and out of the Apple store in less than 30 minutes.

The experience at the Apple Genius Bar had been exactly the same with my Mac Book Pro 17” which is under AppleCare and had an issue with its’ Power Port connector. The part was changed out in less than 30 minutes. For the Mac Book, Pro, iMac, and Mac’s, some repairs and issues can be done while you wait like the Power Port connector. Others like hard drive and system board replacements or screens, requires you to leave your unit for a few days.

As Apple makes the hardware, operating system, and many of the applications, it makes sense to have the experts at Apple Support help you. AppleCare offerings along with the Genius Bar give you a one-stop service and support experience like no other.

Cost of AppleCare? – A few extra dollars.

Benefit of Genius Bar Expert Help, Factory Replacement Units or Certified Repair Parts and a working Apple Product in the shortest period of time? – Priceless.

[For everything else, there’s Windows…]

Learn more about AppleCare Products at:
http://www.apple.com/support/products

What did your Antivirus Software miss?

July 13, 2012 By Jason Palmer 2 Comments

Most people assume that just because their Antivirus Software subscription and version are up-to-date, they are fully protected from all malicious threats. Symantec, Trend Micro, AVG, and McAfee all do an extreme marketing job to make you believe that “their products are the best” and that as long as you have their top-of-the-line subscription, you are safe.

This is not entirely true. No single Antivirus software product can protect you from all threats all of the time. Even though many claim to protect you from unknown viruses and Zero Day Attacks, the practical reality is that every manufacture will miss some malicious threat some of the time.

How do you check the health of your computer to see what your Antivirus software missed? It’s easy. There are a number of free tools available that will allow you to scan for different types of malicious threats and most importantly, fix any problems found during the scans.

(Cautionary Note: Many of the so called Free Scan Tools advertised on download web sites, banner advertisements, and TV/Radio ads are nothing more than sales pitches to get you to purchase their full product which is the one that will do the fix. Their free tools just tell you there is a problem. What good is a free scan if the free product does not remove the malicious threat?)

It is best to use more than one tool because each will excel at diagnosing and eliminating a different type of threat. Some focus on mainstream viruses, others on Spyware, or Annoyances like browser toolbars or games and seemingly innocent programs violate best practices privacy policies for use of your personal information.

Here are the five best known of the bunch. Each uses a different methodology to detect and remove the nasty stuff that can get in to your computer. Take the time to run each program, accept all of the defaults and see what they find that your currently installed Anti-Virus Software product missed. (Sorry Mac users, most of these are Windows only programs but there are a few for Mac at the bottom of the list.)

Windows Options

Trend Micro – Housecall – General Viruses
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

SuperAntiSpyware – Spyware, Adware, and Malware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/ – Malware – Root Kits, Worns, Trojans

Spy-Bot Search and Destroy – Spyware, Adware, and Malware
http://www.safer-networking.org

Ad-Aware 10 – Adware and Spyware (and just added Anti-Virus detection)
http://www.lavasoft.com

Mac Options

BitDefender Online Virus Scanner (for Mac)
http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/virus-scanner-for-mac.html

Note: The Mac Anti-Virus Products listed below require download and installation but are 100% Free.

Comodo Antivirus for Mac – FREE
http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/antivirus-for-mac.php

iAntivirus (A Symantec/Norton Antivirus Product) – (Mac) FREE
http://www.iantivirus.com

ClamXav – (Mac) – FREE
http://www.clamxav.com

Should you find a virus you cannot remove and your Software Anti-Virus vendor cannot help you, feel free to contact me for assistance.

Tech Support Contracts Insure Productivity

July 12, 2012 By Jason Palmer 2 Comments

Technical Support Contracts are the ultimate safety net to keep you productive when bad things happen to good computer software and hardware.

Software support contracts enable you to call an expert in near real time and get immediate assistance with any usability issues or errors allowing you to get back to work as quickly as possible.

Hardware support contracts, depending on the response level purchased, can provide replacement parts same day or next day, with or without a trained vendor technician to install them for you.

If your TV Set or iPod fails, it will probably not impact your ability to make a living, so a discussion of the value of support and service contracts on consumer electronics gear are a topic for another day.

Last night, after the monthly Microsoft Patch Tuesday updates applied, my computer requested to restart. I dutifully complied and walked away for a few minutes. When I came back, I heard a “jet engine” sound – which was the computer fans running at full speed with nothing but a green power light, no hard drive light activity and nothing on my computer screen. As a Computer Professional, I followed the appropriate diagnostic protocol and sadly determined that the motherboard had failed in my one month old computer.

As my desktop computer is critical to my daily productivity, I had a same day, four hour response hardware technical support contract on it. I called the manufacturer late in the evening, went through some additional troubleshooting steps and the support person concurred that the Motherboard needed to be replaced. A Tech Support Case was created for morning dispatch and by 11am a Courier had arrived with my new Motherboard. To expedited matters, I installed the Motherboard myself but I could have easily arranged for the manufacturer’s technician to stop by and install it for me. In fact, the assigned technician to the on-site tech support case called me around 9am to advise me that the part was in-transit and that he was available in-person or by phone at my discretion.

Within an hour of the part arrival, my PC was fully operational and I was back to work and getting on with my day. Without a Tech Support Contract, had I relied on the standard warranty, it would have taken one full business day for dispatch of the part and the technician.

Had this been a Consumer class PC instead of a Business class PC, the only option might have been to send it back for service to the manufacture or wait up to a week for on-site service – if even available. This difference in the standard business class system warranty options, in and of itself is a good reason to purchase “Business Class” systems vs. the consumer oriented models available at warehouse clubs and consumer electronics stores.

Had I been unable to work for more than a few hours, the lost revenue and productivity would have far exceeded the nominal cost of the same day, four hour response Tech Support Contract. In most cases, these premium option Tech Support Contracts cost approximately 20% of the list price for same day service and a little as 10% for guaranteed next business day service. When you look at the cost of not being able to do your work compared to a few extra dollars for the premium warranty options, the value becomes clear.

Even though my data was fully backed up, I still would have needed a system to run all of my software applications: Quickbooks, Microsoft Office, ACT!, Google Apps, etc. Compared to having a similarly configured spare system, or my willingness to purchase one at full retail – assuming one was available with comparable specifications, the least expensive, most expedient option was and is to have a current, in-force Tech Support Contract for my personal computer with the same day service option.

I would like to point out that my data was never at risk. I have rock solid backups of my data both on-site and off-site – I just could not get to my applications and data – until my desktop PC was fixed – to do my work. Had this been a catastrophic failure of the hard drive or a complete loss of the system (Fire Damage or Theft), of course, I could have done a full restore to a new hard drive or completely new system. And that would be expected for those situations.

Software Updates fix things before they Break

July 11, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

Software Updates are an important part of periodic maintenance for the programs that keep your technology running. If the “Check Engine” light came on in your car, would you keep driving until the car finally broke down completely? No, you see the “Check Engine Light”, and if you are like most people, you get your car to the mechanic as quickly as possible to have the problem investigated and repaired.

When a Software Vendor, such as Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle (Java), or Apple, releases a Software Update, that is the equivalent of of the “Check Engine Light” telling you there is a potential problem in your technology that needs to be addressed and fixed as quickly as possible.

You have probably noticed that major software vendors that release a large number of patches categorize them in to three basic categories: Critical – as in “ignore at your own risk and peril”; Recommended – as in “I would if I were you”; and Optional – as in “We really think you should install this for the new feature, but the choice is yours.”

Some vendors release Software Updates on a periodic schedule like Microsoft with “Patch Tuesday”, the second Tuesday of every month, to help customers plan and schedule maintenance. Others release Software Updates on an as needed basis and ALL will usually release a critical patch as soon as available.

If you are the type to change your oil “per the car manufacturer’s recommendations” and follow the recommended scheduled maintenance, then you should be following the Software Update Patch schedule of your software vendor and applying the updates as soon as possible on the same scheduled, periodic basis.

Most software products and computers have an “auto-update” feature that is turned on by default. This is usually the best setting for the majority of users. The software or operating system or computer, “phones home” to the Vendor to get notice of any updates and either automatically installs the software update or notifies you that one is available.

To drive home the point of the importance of Software Updates, I just spent the last seventeen hours updating and undoing the damage caused by lack of scheduled maintenance on a File Server. The “Check Engine Light” was on for over a year and no one took any action. You might say I did a transmission rebuild, flush and fill of the radiator, and removed the sludge in the oil pan, all in one service call. Considering that I earn at least as much as an auto mechanic, this was an expensive repair job. And, the company lost two days of productivity with no access to their accounting system, files, or email.

Since few, if any updates were applied by the prior computer consultant, instabilities in the software manifested themselves and caused a cascading failure of the operating system. Conflicts between various drivers – special pieces of software that tell the Windows operating system how to interact with the hardware – and the Windows Server Operating System were causing the infamous BSOD – “Blue Screen of Death.”

Software Updates fix things before they break – and so should you by applying them.

However, if you find that you too have ignored the “Check Engine Light” on your technology and need some after the fact assistance, consider me like the “Triple A – American Automobile Association” and feel free to contact me for a “Tow” back to the Computer Repair Shop garage to get your systems back in working order.

Software Licensing Cost – Understanding the Value

July 10, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

The first rule of computing is to never do anything by computer that you can do faster by hand.

Frequently, when discussing the cost of Software Licenses, business owners grumble at the prices charged per copy by the usual suspects such as Microsoft, Intuit, Salesforce, or Sage ( – to name a few.) They proclaim that it is like pouring money in to a hole and that they don’t understand why they need to have the latest versions nor do they understand why they would want to make sure that every employee has a copy of the Software.

I ask why they feel that there is no value or not as much value as the developer of the software assigns to the per copy license. In some cases I get a legitimate complaint that not every employee fully utilizes the software, but in most cases the business owner just has an arbitrary value assigned to the software based on their own perception of what they think it is worth or should cost.

Let us use a copy of the Quickbooks Premier Small Business Accounting Software with a single seat/copy price of approximately $400 as an example. First, I ask the business owner what is he paying is bookkeeper – the person using the Quickbooks software? For simplicity we will use $45,000 (which is the average salary for a bookkeeper in New York City.)

I ask the business owner what did his bookkeeper use before Quickbooks? The answer, as one would expect, Green Ledger Pads and a large number of mechanical pencils with gum erasers and a Check Register provided by the Bank. I then go on to ask how were financial reports such as daily cash receipts, cash flow, sales, interim income statements, accounts receivable, and accounts payable produced. The obvious answer of course – all by hand – and it took a tremendous amount of time. I would be remiss if I did not ask if there were ever any math errors in the ledgers and reports – again – of course a few would crop up here and there.

Now, for the small sum of approximately $400 all of the reports mentioned above are available at the click of a mouse in a matter of minutes instead of hours or days. Assuming the original transactions are entered correctly, the math errors have been virtually eliminated. Now, your bookkeeper can process more transactions in less time because recurring transactions can be memorized and re-entered as needed within seconds. Reports can be memorized as well and refreshed quickly with current data at will.

In short, the bookkeeper is saving dozens of hours per month by automating tedious data entry and reporting tasks. In keeping with our example, if $45,000 translates in to approximately $22.50/hour based on a 2,000 hour work year then in less than 18 hours, the Quickbooks Software has paid for itself in increased productivity, all within one month of purchase.

To validated this savings, Intuit, the makers of Quickbooks did a survey and found that in the most conservative responses, 25% stated that they saved up to five hours per week by using Quickbooks.

My point is that any software product that makes you or your staff more productive, allowing greater efficiency and the ability to generate higher output which translates in to revenue for your company is usually well worth the nominal per user/copy/seat charge.

Software licenses do not cost, they pay.

An Information Technology Inventory – Cheap Insurance

July 9, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

My father’s absolute favorite expression regarding life was, “The time to sharpen your claws is not when you hear the Hunter’s call.” Dad was a big fan of the Boy Scout Motto, “Be Prepared.”

Today, I received the classic periodic frantic call from a potential new small business client who obtained my name as a referral that her current Computer Consultant was resigning her account effective virtually immediately. He was at least kind enough to hand her a network information sheet with some very limited user name and password access information for the Server and Firewall but not much else.

To make matters worse, the former Computer Consultant mentioned to her that the Server was having a number of issues that needed to be addressed immediately. (It turns out the abrupt resignation was due to his inability to resolve the issues. So rather than seek assistance, he quit the account before a total meltdown could occur.)

As I started to ask her questions about her information systems and technology, even simple questions like “How old is the File Server?” or “Can you tell me the manufacturer”, and “How many PC’s do you have?” – I could see through the phone the blank expression and hear the complete panic in her voice.

Sure, if you point most qualified Information Technology professionals in the general direction, they will be able to inventory and reconstruct the missing documentation and put Humpty Dumpty back together again, but that takes time and is an unnecessary delay and expense that can be prevented with a little preparation.

Here are the pieces of information that YOU should know about your Information Technology Environment REGARDLESS of who is responsible for maintaining it.

As you read through the list below, you may see a number of technology terms that you are not familiar with and that’s O.K., because the person who set up your Information Technology Systems – your Computers, File Server, Software, Network, Firewall, Email, Internet Access, and Web Hosting certainly does (or should) understand these terms and can write the answers down for you.

Physical Inventory: The manufacturer, purchase date, serial number, warranty expiration date and service level (same day, next day, on-site or off-site), and support phone number for each piece of hardware including: Computers, Monitors, Printers, Firewall, Network Switches, and File Server, as applicable.
Software Inventory: Application Name (i.e. Quickbooks or Microsoft Office), License Number, Number of Users Licensed, Support Contract Information including start/end date and support phone number.
Server Information: Operating System, Administrator Login and Password, IP Address, Server Installed Applications (i.e. Microsoft SQL, Microsoft Exchange, Accounting Software); Active Directory Domain, DHCP Scope, Drive/Partition Volume Information.
Network Information: IP Map which includes Static IP Device Assignments (usually Printers); Router/Firewall Information along with User Name and Password, If a Firewall, then Support Contract Information for Updates and Contact information for assistance; Wiring Diagram for Office and Jack/Patch Panel Number Assignments.
Internet Access Provider Information: What type of technology? – Cable Modem, DSL, FiOS, T-1, Ethernet over Copper, or Building Provided Ethernet? Who is your provider? (i.e. Cablevision, Time Warner, Verizon, etc.) Do you have a Dynamic or Static IP Address assigned? If a Static IP Block, how many IP’s? Along with Sub-Net, Gateway, and Doman Name Server information IP’s. Is there an online control panel to manage your account? If so, user name and password access information as well as the URL to access the control panel. Is there a term contract in place? If so, then start date and end date, along with name of Account Manager and Technical Support phone numbers and contacts.
User Information – Full User Name with Login information for each account that accesses the network resources (i.e. File Server); Optionally, Password Information if a small environment, as applicable; Which computer they use to access the network and the specific network resources they are permitted to access: which directories on the Server, which Printers, and which Software Applications. Secondary User Name and Password information for any Client/Server Software Applications like Quickbooks, ERP Systems, Accounting Software, etc.
Email Information: Primary/Secondary Domains, Anti-Spam and Anti-Virus solution, if applicable; Full list of all email account addresses including any generic addresses such as info@ or sales@ and if they are configured as mail forwards or mail alias’s. Type of Mail Server: POP3, IMAP, Microsoft Exchange, Office365, Google Apps for Business, etc. Who is responsible? Internet Service Provider, Computer Consultant, Web Hosting Company, Internal Email System (On local File Server?)
Web Site Hosting Information: Domain Registrar Information including Account Name and Password; Web Hosting Company – i.e. 1and1, GoDaddy, local Internet Service Provider, hosted on Local File Server? – And appropriate account and contact information.

Armed with this information, you will be prepared with the critical details necessary so that any reasonably qualified Information Technology person can step in and take over without too much issue on short notice and keep you operational.

If you are in the New York City metropolitan area and find yourself suddenly without your Computer Consultant, feel free to use my contact page for assistance. I specialize in crisis situations – that would be resolving them, not creating them.

Technology English IS Plain English

July 8, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

The English definitions of words do not change simply because they are said in the context of something related to Technology.

Recently I was at a client demonstrating how to start the Quickbooks Accounting Program and open a company data file. (This client had two separate company data files for Quickbooks for two completely separate businesses.) I made the following statement: “Quickbooks will automatically open the last company file used or you can select ‘Change Company’ from the menu and manually select your other company data file.”

She replied, “I don’t understand anything about Technology. Why do you IT People always make it so difficult to understand everything?”

Sadly, this is a response I have heard hundreds of times before. I replied to her, “Exactly what was unclear about my statement?” She replied, “I don’t know what you mean by ‘automatically open’ or ‘manually select.” Trying to remain as polite as possible as my frustration level grew, I simply asked, “Why do you think the words ‘automatically open’ and ‘manually select’ have any different meaning here than they do anywhere else?”

I stated that the definition of “automatically” is operating in a manner essentially independent of external control or influence. And the definition of “manual” is done by [one’s own] hand.

Expanding my original statement, “Quickbooks will open the last company data file used without any additional action on your part – as in automatically open, or if you want to work with your other company file, you must select the menu option to change company and choose it from the list, as in manually.”

I then went on to ask what she thought the English dictionary definition of “automatically open” and “manually select” meant in any context, not just a Technical one. She really had no answer as she completely agreed that the definition and word usage were consistent with exactly what she thought they were. As in, “The door will automatically open as you approach it.” And, she had to “Manually open the door by grabbing the handle and pulling on it.”

After some thought, she realized that she had just completely tuned out of the training and conversation. She was predisposed to tell herself that Tech Speak was NOT Plain English and that she could not possibly understand it so she did not even try to make sense of what was being said.

There are certainly some specific “Terms of Art” in Technology that might require a little more explanation or analogies to understand but the majority of the conversations that I observe, fall apart because the listener assumes that for some reason English words take on a completely different meaning when a Technology person says them or are in a Technology context.

The next time you have a conversation about Technology, remember that we are all speaking Plain English and that in most cases, the definition of the words, especially when presented in context will mean exactly what you think they mean.

In short, this classic childhood riddle explains it perfectly:

“What color was George Washington’s White Horse?”

Answer: George Washington’s White Horse was White.

Preventing Cybercrime with Transactional and Point in Time Alerts

July 7, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

Cybercrime is a little like the weather. Everyone reads and talks about it but nobody does anything about it. Congress like Mother Nature, has a will of its’ own and the likelihood of seeing any real legislation forcing Big Business to take care of our personal information is suspect.

However, the same way that we can prepare for a Hurricane there are things that we as individuals and business owners can do to prevent or minimize the effects of the Cybercrime storms that are upon us. We can use Transactional and Point in Time Alerts in the same manner as the National Weather Service alerts us that a Tornado is on the way.

All of us have heard the never ending mantras of “Use Strong Passwords”, “Change your Passwords periodically”, and “Be suspect of providing personal information unless you have verified the recipient.” That goes almost without saying and most articles on Cybercrime protection would probably end right here – but not this one.

The focus of this article is on behavior and transactional monitoring of your online and offline financial habits. This is similar to the spending profiles that the Credit Card companies create for you to monitor your purchase patterns for possible Fraud. At least once a quarter, I get a frantic phone call, email, and text from Citibank VISA asking for additional information on a recent purchase. In some cases, they hold the authorization (not letting the charge to my account go through) until they have positively verified that I am who I say I am and that I personally made or approved the transaction. I appreciate this minor inconvenience as it lets me know Citibank may actually care about my financial security after all.

In a perfect world, most Credit Card companies and to some degree Banks do this in the normal course of business to protect their customers. But we do not live in a perfect world so some personal responsibility needs to be taken. Fortunately, the tools to do so exist and are readily available – if you just take a few minutes to set them up.

As mentioned above, the Credit Card companies will flag things that look “out of the ordinary” to them based purely on statistical modeling and your spending patterns. Cybercriminals know this and therefore it makes it easier for them to match the pattern.

I will give a real world example: My American Express Corporate Card number was lifted by an unidentified group or person operating at a local restaurant in New York City near a particular client where I order in from frequently for lunch or dinner. To American Express, the pattern looked normal. No flag was raised. I use my Corporate Card for meals all across Manhattan. None of the amounts were particularly outside the normal range and it is not uncommon to see the same establishments appear multiple times in a month. I, like most, am a creature of habit. I tend to shop and eat at the same places on a regular basis.

What was out of the ordinary for me was two charges in one day from this particular restaurant and that caused me to check my Date Book and see that there were at least six additional charges at this Restaurant on days when I was not even in Manhattan.

Of course American Express, as will all Credit Card companies, held me completely harmless, gave me full credit for the fraudulent charges, and “promised to investigate the matter fully.” (Yes. I am sure…)

What could I have done and what can you do to protect yourself help uncover this type of fraud in a more timely manner? Signup for and enable Transactional Alerts on your credit card and bank accounts wherever they are available.

Chase exceeds my expectations in that within minutes of swiping my Chase Freedom Card at a Gas Station; I get an email alert telling me my credit card has been presented for authorization. After the sale is completed, I get another email telling me the exact amount of the charge.

Each Financial Institution varies with the level of Transactional and “Point in Time” alerting available but most seem to offer all or some of the following:

Transactional: Notice of Card Authorization; Notice of Charge to Card; Notice of Charge over a certain dollar amount; Notice of Receipt of Payment; Notice of Presentment of Check to Bank Account; Notice of ATM/Cash Machine withdrawal; Notice of Teller Activity (Bank Deposit/Withdrawal);

Point in Time: Daily Bank Account Balance or Amount Owed on Credit Card; Notice when Amount Owed exceeds a certain dollar amount; Notice when Checking/Savings balance goes below a certain dollar amount; Daily Summary of All Balances; Daily Summary of All Transactions;

Everyone who has online banking access, especially business owners, should make sure that alerts are in place for all transactions, where possible. Most importantly, if wire transfer or Bill Pay options are offered through your Bank, make sure that transactions over certain dollar limits above and beyond your normal activity range require “Secondary Verbal Approval” and/or additional authentication measures to allow them to proceed. Otherwise, if access to your Bank account is compromised, (a Cybercrimnal has your password or token), you could find a zero balance in your account with an almost insurmountable challenge ahead to try to retrieve the missing funds.

Using the combination of alerts mentioned above that is right for your personal financial spending habits and need can make all the difference between be “prepared” to catch a fraudulent event in near real time and prevent further Cybercrime vs. having a maxed out Credit Card, Zero Bank Balance, and spending months filing reports and signing affidavits that state, “No, you did not purchase that 60” Plasma Flat screen for $2,799 at Best Buy in Houston, TX” and having to prove that you were actually in New York at the time. Or worse, you now having to completely rebuild your credit file because you were a victim of Identity Theft and did not discover the damage until well after the fact.

Transactional and Point in Time Alerts are you best defense.

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