January 2009: Managing Security Threats Online

Evron and Managed Services

Users are encouraged to patch their systems immediate with an out-of-band fix from Microsoft for a major Internet Explorer (IE) vulnerability. The web browsing software had a security vulnerability that could have allowed a hacker to execute a potentially dangerous code sequence if a user went to a specially made web page using IE.

The vulnerability is so serious that the update was rated "Critical for IE 5.01 through to IE 8 in Beta format" - an unscheduled update designed to quickly plug holes in the software's code.

This update was designed to address a vulnerability in the manner which IE validates data binding parameters. This means, in layman's terms, that the update is essential because remote code execution may be used as a method for hackers to gain control of a computer and user rights on that computer.

If one of your employees was sent an email link to a web page that was designed to take advantage of this vulnerability, the hackers could, in theory, use the malware to gain access to vital systems within your organization.

The most troubling aspect of this virus is the silent nature of it: the exposed vulnerability runs in the background, quietly taking control of a user's computer and, unknowingly, leave an organization's collective security at risk.

This issue could have wide-ranging consequences for a business and possibly left company data open and vulnerable to attack or theft.

Microsoft quickly responded to this threat and provided a security patch for IE.

This is where Evron's managed services practice comes in.

Essentially, managed services refer to detecting and eliminating problems before they happen. This includes services ranging from monitoring your company web site, maintenance inspections, layered managed security and even remedial hardware and application support, depending on what your needs are.

Evron also moved quickly these security issues. We had planned security updates around the same time as the IE security issue emerged - therefore, we incorporated the IE security patch in with our own security updates.

Moreover, we moved quickly to inform and implement our security updates for our managed services clients by going on site or remotely deploying the software.

Managed services makes the process of rolling out security updates easier for businesses. Several of our clients here at Evron were notified quickly of the security updates from Evron as well as the IE security concerns; non-managed services clients have significantly bigger risk with missing security patches and Microsoft Service Pack roll-outs.

As a business lesson, there's evidence with a story like this that any and all computer users should stay on top of the issues surrounding security.

With strong partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Symantec, Sonicwall, Cisco and many others, Evron is committed to maintaining security for its client base and has the track record to back up these claims. If you need anymore information, contact us.

- Amit (Sunny) Sahni, CCNA, CCEA, MCSE, VSP.
- Vice-President of Technical Services at Evron Computer Systems Corp.

December 2008: Unified Communications - Working For You

Moving at the Pace of Business

As the pace of business has changed, the work force is becoming more mobile. To stay in touch, workers are using a variety of tools like office phone extensions, direct dial numbers, cell phones, e-mails, instant messaging among other tools. The challenge is that many of these devices are not unified and instead of simplifying, this makes communication even more challenging. These days, organizations are facing the issue of reaching employees reliably and quickly.

We at Evron have been helping the mobile work force stay in touch with their IT applications and data from anywhere and using any device. However, for a number of years our clients have been asking us to help simplify the communication side. Mobility is becoming a fact of life these days, with integrating various communication tools Unified Communication (UC) can become a primary tool for people who are travelling or need to work off premises.

UC should not be confused with simply Voice over IP (VoIP). It is essentially a communications platform that allows a user to integrate all their traditional business tools - phone, email, instant messaging, video and even virtual whiteboards - together for real-time functionality. This gives a business owner immense opportunities to deliver information faster to clients and colleagues. Cost savings are not only from improved productivity, but also from simpler infrastructure. Unlike standard phones, UC phones can work with standard computer cabling. There is no need to add separate phone drops and Jacks.

Most importantly, however, is how UC acts as an extension of mobility for your workers and enables offices to "go remote" if one so desires. Unlike in the past, where a client may have called into the office looking to speak to someone but found they were unavailable, UC integrates all the functions of a traditional office into a single platform for far easier access to people, even on the go.

An example of this includes voicemail. Say you're a client wishing to speak to someone about a project status, but that individual is out of the office. With UC's Extension mobility feature, a person has the ability to answer calls even when working off-site, or if because of any reasons they cannot pick up the call, a copy of a voice mail, just like their e-mail, can automatically be delivered to their Blackberry or Smartphone. There is no need to call the office constantly to check urgent messages.

Evron is focusing on UC as a priority, given how important mobility and speed has become to businesses. We've been making efforts to use our roster of technologies to make UC a value-added proposition for our client base, using hardware and network management tools that will ensure enhanced productivity for your workers.

We believe that UC is the way of the future when it comes to mobility in business. If you would like to find out more about this exciting new opportunity, please call to arrange for a free consultation.

- Amit (Sunny) Sahni, CCNA, CCEA, MCSE, VSP.
- Vice-President of Technical Services at Evron Computer Systems Corp.

A Forward-Thinking Approach to Protecting Your Data

Given how much the pace of business has changed, businesses are under increased pressure to stay efficient, agile and keep their competitive edge. Business leaders must continually invest in their IT systems to keep up with the business requirements.

To that end, it's important to have dependable IT infrastructure that works and keeps a business running. As a business owner, you're also looking for peace of mind in the event a disaster happens.

Naturally, all of these concerns come with a price tag attached. Managing server sprawl and disaster recovery can be expensive and time-consuming. There must be a better, cheaper solution out there, right?

Enter the server solution known as virtualization - a server technology that has already made a big impact on large, Fortune 500-style companies. Now the SMB market can take full advantage of virtualization too.

The Cost Benefit

So what is virtualization and how can it help you and your business?

As anyone running a business with IT infrastructure knows, there are two big problems any growing business must face - increasing network complexity and server sprawl.

As more and more applications go onto networked machines, the demands placed on servers are growing like never before. In the pre VM-ware era, independent servers were required for different applications. For example, an email server must be independent of a web-hosting server to avoid problems down the road with conflicting applications.

Virtualization solves this problem. Instead of using multiple pieces of hardware as servers, virtualization allows for a single server that houses a variety of applications in it.

Unlike traditional approaches, virtual machines simulate hardware instead of using real hardware. This means, in layman's terms, end users of applications - in this case, your workers - can use workstations and terminals connected to a single virtualized machine instead of running off multiple ones locally. Costs are reduced through energy savings, less investment in new servers and you're even being environmentally friendly.

When Disaster Happens

From a cost benefit perspective, virtualization is a strong investment. But what about peace of mind and security?
The old ways of duplication and back-ups through multiple servers is not only costly, but an inefficient use of resources. For example, take email. Many companies use a back-up server to protect company email in the event of a disaster. In the old days, a disaster recovery plan could take several days to implement as virtually all hardware had to be duplicated and the server solutions required significant maintenance overhead to ensure information is accessible or readable afterwards.

How bad is it when your data center goes down? Industry research group Gartner Inc. has determined that two out of every five enterprises that experience a disaster go out of business within five years.

For companies slowed down for days or weeks by a disaster, the numbers are even more ominous: a stunning 93% of companies that lost their data center for 10 days or more filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster.

Virtual machines create a safety net for your business. Through continuous data protection, vital network data is sent to a virtualized, off-site server via the Web and over a secure Virtual Private Network constantly. The result? Quick and easy access to your data in the event of a disaster - a digital back-up that offers peace of mind.
Further, with the addition of thin client computing like Citrix or Microsoft Terminal Server, it's possible for workers to access company data even from their own homes.

The proof that virtualized machines are a step forward for SMB in disaster recovery is clear. If a disaster occurs, company data is easily accessible and not at the mercy of days of downtime. It's a solution that could work for you - call us and find out more.

- Amit (Sunny) Sahni, CCNA, CCEA, MCSE, VSP.
- Vice-President of Technical Services at Evron Computer Systems Corp.


Sources: Gartner Inc., Disaster Recovery Plans and Systems are Essential, Roberta Witty and Donna Scott; the American National Archives and Records Administration Research.

About EVRON: EVRON is a leading provider of financial systems and network infrastructure solutions for small to mid-sized businesses. We have a history of success with thousands of implementations since 1983

T: 905-477-0444 | E: info@evron.com | W: http://www.evron.com.

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