In recent months, we have come across more customers than usual that have experienced an unfortunate event causing hardware loss at their facility.  Thankfully through our disaster recovery plan, our backup process including an offsite backup, we have been able to recover all of the business critical data. 

These events prompt me to remind all computer users that they should have in place a strategy for backing up the most critical information that they have. 

Are you backing up your data?   Are you taking a copy of that to a secure location?

Common files important to have backed up include:

• Quickbooks
• Email
• Digital Pictures
• Office Documents (Word, Excel, Power Point, etc.)
• Digital Music
• Internet Favorites
• My Documents folder for Windows Users

This backup could be completed in one of the following ways:

• USB Key
• USB Hard Drive
• Burnable CD
• Burnable DVD
• Another Computer on your network
• An offsite automated backup

Common Ways to Backup:

1 - The simplest way to backup your files is to manually copy them to your backup location.

2 - Use a backup software package to automate the process

3 - Create a script to run and walk away from it while it is running

This is your opportunity to take some time now to think about what would happen if your office or house had a fire?   What if my hard drive had an issue?  What if…..

Contact us today to have a free consultation on how we can create a Disaster Recovery plan for you. 

Nick Hemmert

iwantthe@abilityto.com

Access to  your office information remotely is at a growing pace as the technology becomes easier and easier to use.  One of the aspects where we see this growth is on Mobile Smart Phones.  In an already complex world of immediate access and new gadgets, a small business owner wants access to his/her data with little to no extra hoops.  There are 3 major players in the SmartPhone business: Blackberry, Apple, and Microsoft Windows Mobile (Brands include Treo, Motorola, and Samsung, and HTC) .  What I would like to share with you today is the advantages of using a Microsoft Windows ActiveSync phone which includes the IPhone (Version 2) with your Microsoft Small Business Server.

1. Calendar, Email, Tasks, and Contacts syncing with no cable over the Internet.

When you are looking for mobile access, you want mobile access.  You do not want to boot up your machine to sync your calendar, your tasks, and your contacts.  You want to be able to access all of your information on the fly when you are in the field.  When your assistant changes your calendar for a late afternoon meeting and you are out of the office, you do not want to have to always have to call her for updates.  With Windows Mobile, you get access to all of your Outlook features: Email, Calendar, Tasks, and Contacts over the Internet using your providers data network. 

In contrast, there are 2 other types of phones:  Blackberry and Palm.

The Blackberry will push your inbox to your phone only out of the box.

The Palm with sync your Email, Calendar, and Contacts over the air.

2. No need for third party software: you are connecting directly with your server.

When using a Windows Mobile Phone or an IPhone you are connecting directly to your companies Exchange server.  There is no need to install any Desktop or Server Software.  Your SBS server will handle the load, the minute you walk out of the store.

3. Lower Cost

The Windows Mobile Phone is already licensed to connect to your company’s Exchange Server.  Right out of the door, you can connect your phone to all of your company’s Exchange features. 

With the Blackberry, you are only licensed for email access, and you have to purchase the Blackberry Professional Software and have us configure it on your Exchange server.  The software is free for the 1st license/user and $100/License after that.

With the Palm, you are licensed for email, calendar, and contacts.  This would be why we prefer this over the Blackberry, but their phones are not current at all phone providers.

4. Seamless Integration:  Add, Edit, Deletes.  Also, filing emails.

When you add, edit, or delete your email, calendar, contacts or tasks on your Windows Mobile phone, those changes are made directly to the server without connecting again.  In addition, you can file your emails via the phone without having to open up Outlook.  These are 5 time saving activities that add up really quickly when you are out of the office and need access now.

With the other device types, you are very limited to what you can

5. Enhanced Contacts and Company Directory Lookup:  Look up Fellow Employees in the Company Directory (Windows Mobile 6)

In Outlook you can setup each contact with a photo of your choice.  So when an email comes in, that pictures shows in the header.  Well these pictures are transferred to your Windows Mobile Phone automatically, so every time you get a phone call, email, or Text Message, you will see that picture!  Pretty sweet!

Need Jane from Accounting’s email on the road?  You can look up her email using the company directory.

6. Familiarity.  You know how it works, it’s Windows.

Everyone knows how Windows works and therefore it is very simple to pick up a Windows Mobile phone. 

Hot Tip!

You can install Google Mobile Maps on your Windows Mobile Phone and find directions to all your contacts!  Once you have loaded all of your contacts, you can lookup their address on Google Maps and get their quicker!

We recommend that you look at smart phones in the following order:

1. Windows Mobile Phone or Windows Activesync.  Made by: Treo (Palm), Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and IPhone

2. Palm based phones.  The Treo or Centro.

3. Blackberry Model Phones.

Allow us to help you enhance your productivity, minimize your cost, and keep you happy away from the office.