CMIT Introduces Automatic Patch Management

CMIT Solutions Introduces Automatic Patch Management for Adobe, Java,

 iTunes and Firefox on Business Computers

All kinds of viruses and malware can destroy business computer systems by latching onto programs like Adobe PDF, Flash files and Javascript.  These are programs that businesses use day in and day out.  Even those of you who religiously install security updates or "patches" for major software programs and operating systems, these patches usually ignore prompts from Adobe and Oracle.

Users don't recognize the problems or may even think they are just updates when in reality they have viruses attached.

CMIT Solutions is a leading provider of managed IT services for small businesses and is separating itself from its rivals by including patch coverage for Adobe and Java in its CMIT Marathon package.  The service automatically tests and installs software and operating system security updates on business computers without owners or employees having to do it themselves.  

To find out more about this topic please read the full press release on Yahoo's News website

CMIT Introduces Automatic Patch Management

Add Movies to your Powerpoint Presentations!

Sometimes sitting through a powerpoint presentation can be painful. Nobody wants to look at a presentation that’s packed to the gills with extraneous whooshing sounds, animated stick figures, and garishly colored charts. However, PowerPoint offers one capability you might want to take advantage of: video.

For example, let's say you’re doing a presentation for a prospective client. You will have your slides about the services you offer, and you might want to include a collection of video testimonials from satisfied customers.

Here are the simple steps on how to actually do it:


1. Make the video and save it in a commonly used video format such as AVI, MPEG, or WMV. This will ensure that the presentation will successfully play, regardless of what kind of computer you’re using.

2. Save the video in the same folder as your presentation. In the presentation, go to the slide where you want the video to play. If you’re in PowerPoint 2003, go to the Insert menu, select Movies and Sounds, select From File, and choose the movie you want.

Using PowerPoint 2007, you have two options: If the slide layout includes a content placeholder, click the Insert Movie button in the placeholder, or you can click the Movie button in the Media Clips group, which is located on the Insert tab (pictured below):

 

The 2010 version of PowerPoint changes the name of the button from “Movie” to “Video,” but essentially works the same. 



3. Whether you’re using the 2003, 2007, or the 2010 version, you’ll be prompted to specify whether you want the video to play automatically or only when you’ve manually clicked it. 



And it is as simple as that!

One important thing to remember: unlike pictures or drawings, videos are not actually embedded in presentations. They’re linked files. The presentation has to know where to “look” when you ask it to play the video, and if you move the video after you set up the link in the presentation, PowerPoint won’t know where to find the original video. Just make sure the video is stored in a logical place before you link it. The most logical place, of course, is in the same folder as the presentation itself – thus Step #2 above. Keeping all relevant files in the same place also makes for easy copying if you need to save the presentation to a CD or USB drive.

CMIT @ the 7th Annual NY Business Expo

The 7th Annual NY Business Expo - Only the largest trade show for small & mid-sized businesses! There will be unlimited networking opportunities being that there are over 10,000 attendees and plenty of business seminars.

Date: May 2-3, 2012

@ the Javits Center in New York City

CMIT Solutions booth number is 418. There will be raffles with a chance to win some great prizes!

Come down to see us and stay up to date with the best business practices for your company. We will show you how to keep your data safe from disasters and keep your business at it's highest level of efficiency.

CMIT owner Tim Davis will be speaking at the event! The topic of the seminar is ““Cracking The Gen Y Code: Selling & Marketing to a Generation That Refuses to be Sold To.”

“Technology allows us to communicate better, but you still need communication skills to make the technology meaningful.” – Tim Davis

Don't wait for Data Disasters to Happen - Prevent It!

Our country has been experiencing recent extreme weather events which reminds us that catastrophic data loss is one of the most detrimental events that can happen to a small or medium sized business(SMB). There have been Tornadoes in Texas and the Midwest that have destroyed people's years of hard work. Don't let that be you!

According to the Underwriting Guide for Insurers, only 6 percent of mid-size companies the suffer catastrophic data loss ever fully recover. Yes, it is true. Only 6 percent. 43% never reopen and 51% close within two years of the disaster. Unfortunately, data loss is a relatively common occurrence. Hard drives die and even automated backups sometimes fail to archive every single file correctly. Data loss becomes catastrophic when a sizable or vital set of data becomes unrecoverable. When one considers the degree to which most SMBs rely on electronic data for their operations, one quickly understands how devastating consequences often arise in the wake of a disaster. A business might lost not only its customer database, but also sales records, payroll information, inventory numbers, and financials. That last item can damage far more than merely the health of a business.

Imagine hoe the IRS might respond if you've lost all documentation for several years of business tax returns. Preventing data loss requires a two-pronged approach. First you need to have an effective and automated backup system. Manual backups just won't cut it unfortunately because someone will forget to do it. Even if you remember, you still risk losing any data generated between then and the last time you performed the backup. Its best to have a data-mirroring setup, which updates automatically and in real-time. The second prong, one that a shocking number of business owners overlook, is having a reliable, effective and tested disaster recovery (DR) plan in place. Merely having a backup copy of your data won't do you much good if no one knows how to restore it to the server. An effective DR plan should include written procedures for restoring data that minimize the risk of corrupting the system any further.

The key to preventing data catastophies lies in having these measures in place before disaster strikes. Even the most reliable back up system won't help you if you wait until after the fact to install it.

Just remember: Don't wait for the disaster to happen...set up a back up plan before it strikes.

How to Stay Secure in a Bring-Your-Own-Device World

Today we have professionals in every line of business who use their own personal devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets for work.

This phenomenon believe it or not, is called Bring Your Own Device or BYOD.

As one might imagine, having devices that are owned and maintained by employees connecting to your network raises all kinds of security concerns. These devices go home with the employees af the end of every day so security is definitely at risk. What if an employee loses his or her tablet, which has confidential files on it? What if a laptop is stolen? Would a thief have direct connection to your corporate server?

For an extreme example, read about how a USB drive brought down a nations government by clicking here.

BYOD offers many benefits to business owners, not the least of which is the money saved through employees purchasing their own devices. Additionally, employees often feel more productive when using devices with which they're well acquainted. The portability of such devices also brings with it the advantages of mobile computing. Combined with cloud computing technology and virtual private networking, BYOD has the potential to allow employees to work anywhere, anytime, so long as they have an internet connection.

Just as businesses need an "acceptable use" policy that lays out the do's and dont's of using computers owned by the company, businesses need a well-developed policy for BYOD (more than just requiring that devices are password-protected).

For an in-depth review of what your company's BYOD policy should contain, contact CMIT Solutions. We'll help you implement a policy that will keep you and your employees productive and secure.

A Single Piece of Hardware that Boosts Your Computers Speed

If your laptop or desktop computer is running a bit slow in the speed department (assuming it has nothing to do with malware or insufficient system memory), you may want to consider swapping out the original hard drive with a new type of disk -- a solid-state hard drive. Solid-state drives (SSD's) differ from their conventional hard disk drive (HDD) counterparts in that they have no moving parts.

Instead of spinning platters that are read by a mechanical arm in an HDD, SSDs use memory chips like the ones found in an iPhone, iPad, or stick of RAM (random access memory -the memory modules in your computer). The lack of

moving parts offer several advantages, including faster read/write times, less heat output, lower power consumption (generally), and better longevity.

The faster read/write times contribute to significantly faster responsiveness of both your operating system and your software applications.

However there are some drawbacks to this piece of hardware. First off, SSDs are not yet available in capacities as large conventional HDDs (3

terabytes and up). The current maximum for widely available SSDs is 512 gigabyte than conventional drives. Even 256GB SSDs cost north of $300.

While the lower capacity might seem like a heavy price to pay for increased speed, several mitigating factors exist. First, if your computer has room for two or more drives, installing your operating system and software apps on an SSD and keeping your data on a conventional, large capacity HDD gives you the best of both worlds. Your programs gain a speed boost from the SSD, but you still have plenty of storage for a large media collection on the second drive.

Secondly, with much of computing moving to the cloud model, your computer needs less storage space for data and media libraries. Your applications (such as Word, iTunes, or Windows Media Player) reside on your local machine, while yo

ur libraries are stored in the cloud, accessible from anywhere you have an internet connection.

However, before you rush out and buy an SSD, you'll need to ensure that your motherboard supports it. If you're unsure, contact CMIT Solutions, and we'll figure it out for you.

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Incidentally, do you know what this is.

We'll give you a hint: this picture was taken in 1956. For the answer, visit the CMIT Blog.

Email Scam Aimed at CPA's

A new subversive email is in circulation aimed at CPA’s. The overview of the content of the email is as follows. We called the AICPA to confirm that this is indeed a total scam, and not just a link that picked up a virus along the way.

Subject: Termination of your accountant license.
From: "American Institute of CPAs"

The overview of the body of the email says:
AICPA logo Termination of Public Account Status due to tax return fraud accusations Valued AICPA member..Click here to view the complaint: Complaint.pdf

The complaint.pdf link contains the virus. Two of my clients clicked on the link but our anti virus blocked the URL and they did not get the infection.

Tools for Time Management

Take Charge of Your Productivity with These Time Management Tools

“Lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin

Often find yourself wondering where all the time goes? Much in the same way that keeping track of expenses reveals where your money goes, keeping tabs on your time can help you make more efficient use of it by identifying waste and opportunities for increased productivity.

But first, you need a way to track it. Take a look at this list of time management tools:

Remember the Milk – Probably the most ubiquitous time tracking tool out there, Remember the Milk is available as a Web app and on most popular smartphones. Remember the Milk seamlessly integrates with Outlook, Google Calendars, and Gmail. It even works with Siri, Apple’s digital assistant on the iPhone 4S.

GoodToDo – GoodToDo uses your email account as a task management tool. If you receive an email you need to follow up on tomorrow, you simply forward it to tomorrow@goodtodo.com, and the email will appear as a task on your GoodToDo portal.
Watch this demo to see it in action.

Timy – If you use Basecamp for project management, Timy is an excellent tool for tracking time, as it integrates nicely with Basecamp’s billing system. Available for many Smartphone platforms, Timy is a breeze for task-management on-the-go.

Microsoft Outlook – Yes, even Microsoft Outlook can be used as a time-tracking tool. You’ll just need to enable the “Journal” feature. In Outlook 2010, go to File --> Options --> Notes and Journal, then click the button that says “Journal Options.” Check which activities and applications you’d like Outlook to keep track of, and Outlook will record them in a convenient journal.