It is estimated that 80% of all business information is stored solely on paper. Paper documents are still filed away in traditional filing cabinets. Retrieving these documents can be an aggravating experience. Often documents are lost or misplaced. There is rarely a backup of this data. A disaster could easily destroy 80% of a business’s proprietary data.This is what document management is designed to improve. Document management is the process of digitizing your paper documents into a searchable online library of information. The document management process integrates a number of technologies to create, store, automate and manage your digital documents library. Computers are used to store and retrieve the documents and scanners are used to digitize your paper into electronic format. Computer networks allow access to your digital documents from remote locations, whether these locations are across the office, or across the world.

Once your data has been digitized, you can easily create backup copies to store off-site. This ensures that your business will survive any disaster. 

The document management process also offers massive productivity improvements for your staff.  Rather than digging through filing cabinets to find elusive information, simply search for the information from your computer. Once you have found the documents, you can print a copy or just read it on screen. Documents don’t become lost since there is no need to re-file. Also, since the documents are now electronic, they can be viewed by many people at once. No more hunting for files in the office.

Staff that work from remote locations can gain instant access to the documentation that they require. No need to call and ask for documents to be faxed, just bring up the documents securely over the Internet, or your corporate virtual private network (VPN).

Document management can be used effectively by virtually any organization to improve staff efficiency, ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster, and to empower remote staff members.  Contact your Bennett Document Imaging Sales Specialist for more information!

• Refresh equipment every two to three years, ensuring your company’s commitment to technology, efficiency, and progress.
• Smaller monthly payments are easier to budget than paying for a project in one large payment.
• No up front costs.
• Upgrade at any time.
• Keep bank line open.

Leasing provides the opportunity to refresh equipment every two to three years, ensuring your company’s commitment to technology, efficiency, and progress.

• Provides long term fixed rate and fixed payment financing.
• Payment flexibility allows for monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual payment options.
• Convenient, low cost method of equipment financing.
• Able to obtain equipment not available through restrictive loan covenants.
• TURNKEY Leases facilitate piecemeal financing of long-term projects requiring multiple minor equipment acquisitions.
• Can provide the equivalent of 100% equipment financing without compensating bank balances or down payments.
• Borrowing capacity can increase if equipment debt is not shown on your balance sheet.
• Enhanced ROA or ROI ratios by eliminating balance sheets assets and their corresponding debt.
• Structural flexibility of a lease serves as means to compress or extend equipment expenses for tax of financial reporting advantage.
• Pinpoints equipment costs to specific projects or profit centers.
• Eliminates complex and time consuming depreciation cost accounting expenses.
• Conserves working capital and corporate liquidity.

1. Your PC* must be purchased between June 26, 2009 to January 31, 2010

2. One of the following Windows Vista versions must be factory-installed on your PC*:

• Windows Vista Home Premium
• » Windows Vista Business – opens simulated dialog
• » Windows Vista Ultimate – opens simulated dialog

3. Your PC* must be on the Eligible Models list

Click Here to Learn More!

Through the development of specialized applications for Microsoft Windows networks, Symantec has simplified and automated the process of preparing for and recovering all data and system information from a point in time due to a disaster. Using the Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers Intelligent Disaster Recovery (IDR) Option, network servers and application servers — such as those used for Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server — are quickly and easily recovered to the point of the last backup, complete with the identical configuration of the operating system, user profiles, applications, and data.

Unique to IDR is the ability to recover to the last incremental, differential, or working set backup, not just the last full backup, as is the case with other disaster recovery products.  As a result, local and remote systems and data are recovered to a point in time closer to the actual disaster than what is offered by other products, and the recovery process takes less time.

IDR also provides a simple and flexible way to modify system configuration during recovery for customized configurations of fault-tolerant disk mirroring, disk volumes, and others. This includes Backup Exec software’s unique ability to deal with hardware changes during the disaster recovery procedure. With Backup Exec, restoring exact hardware, such as like hard drives and adapters, is not required in order to complete an IDR operation. Intelligent Disaster Recovery is the only disaster recovery solution that allows users to specify new hard-disk information, RAID configurations, and network configuration cards.

DISADVANTAGES TO THE MANUAL DISASTER RECOVERY PROCESS
The manual disaster recovery process has three major disadvantages. First, the manual disaster recovery process is open to human error. Second, without an automated, integrated solution, the unprepared user or system administrator faces a lengthy and laborious course of action to revive a failed system. Moreover, the many hours of valuable time for the user, system administrator, or consultant to first recover and then restore a network server can adversely affect productivity. Third, the manual disaster recovery method is technically complex.

Manual Disaster Recovery is Time Consuming
As we have discussed, the manual disaster recovery process is riddled with complexity and prone to unexpected results. More importantly, during the recovery/restore process, the server is unavailable. When the failed system is a mission-critical server running business applications that the organization depends on daily, this can seriously impact the business and its revenue, not to mention individual productivity of all those who rely on the server. Even if the failure affects only a single workstation, the productivity impact on the user and the business can be significant.

Manual Disaster Recovery is Technically Difficult
The manual disaster recovery process is complex and can take hours to complete because it involves a series of manual steps:
• Repairing or replacing the failed hard disk or equipment
• Collecting critical system configuration information (assuming it is documented) and recovery media
• Manually re-partitioning and formatting the hard disk
• Manually reinstalling the operating system
• Manually reinstalling updates, drivers, profiles, etc.
• Manually reinstalling the backup application
• Identifying and finding the last backup tapes
• Re-cataloging the backup tapes
• Restoring the data and applications on the backup tapes

Mistakes made at any point can prevent the recovery of the system causing the administrator to have to re-start the manual process from the beginning.

INTELLIGENT DISASTER RECOVERY AUTOMATES AND INTEGRATES THE PROCESS
Symantec takes a new approach with Intelligent Disaster Recovery — automating the disaster recovery function and closely integrating it with the backup and restore functions of Backup Exec. Integration with Backup Exec provides a more intelligent solution that enables quick and easy recovery of local and remote Windows servers to the point of the last backup. Failed systems are fully recovered, complete with the identical configuration of the operating system, user profiles, updates, applications, and data.

Since the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option is highly automated, it minimizes human intervention, and therefore the possibility of human error. Moreover, the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option integrates recovery and backup and restore to provide an automated solution that:
• Alleviates system administration by integrating two typically separate processes (system and data recovery)
• Minimizes downtime through guided and automated system recovery operations
• Eases the impact a downed server has on personal productivity and business processes
• Reduces the total cost of ownership
• Simplifies the highly complex technical procedure of disaster recovery

And the product is extremely cost effective, with the user realizing a return on investment (ROI) in a single use.

Unlike the manual process described previously, with the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option, the system administrator does not need to know the details of network configurations, volume partition sizes, user profiles, etc. All configuration data is automatically protected by the backup function and is available to the disaster recovery engine when needed. By eliminating the need for human intervention, the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option ensures that the system is recovered accurately.

The Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option is a key and strategic complement to routine backup procedures. By automating and integrating the disaster recovery process with backup and restore technology, IDR protects against system disasters and reduces the time required to recover critical network servers. A summary of the benefits of IDR include:
• Minimized recovery with the only point-in-time recovery process of local and remote systems
• Automated step-by-step wizard system that easily walks the user through the recovery process
• Complete recovery of any Windows server or workstation including all partitions, registry, and configuration information
• Integration with Backup Exec updates disaster recovery information as part of each backup
• Flexible recovery that is not limited to the same hardware or configuration

As a world leader in the protection of Windows systems and data, Symantec continues to evolve Intelligent Disaster Recovery solutions in support of customer goals to reduce the administrative burden and total cost of ownership of business networks.

Bennett Office Technologies uses IDR as part of the monthly Proactive IT program.  Contact your technician at Bennett Office Technologies to ensure you are using Intelligent Disaster Recovery on your network today! 

 

  

What is Windows XP Mode, and who should use it?
Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 gives small-to medium-sized businesses a way to get the benefits of Windows 7 and still use many older Windows XP productivity programs. It uses virtualization technology, such as Windows Virtual PC, to create a Virtual Windows XP environment. That way, you can run your older programs as if you were using a Windows XP-based PC.

Source: www.microsoft.com

Overview:
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and other safety regulatory authorities, on May 14, 2009, HP announced a worldwide voluntary recall and replacement program for some of the battery packs used in certain HP notebooks. HP customers affected by this program will be eligible to receive a replacement battery pack for each verified, recalled battery pack at no cost.

Program details:

• The notebooks themselves are not affected. Only the battery packs are affected.
• Certain batteries that have a specific barcode are included in the program.
• Some batteries that fall within the specific barcode parameters may NOT be included in the program.

It is important that the customers validate battery eligibility by following the steps in the battery replacement Web site. Verified, eligible, batteries will be replaced.

The affected battery packs can be identified by a barcode label attached to the battery. The battery pack is identified through the program Web site at http://www.hp.com/support/BatteryReplacement as being part of the replacement program. The customer should replace it immediately through the process described on the Web site.
End-user Actions:
Eligible batteries were sold with or for HP notebook PCs in the platforms listed in the chart below, but not every HP notebook PC in the platform has an affected battery pack. HP encourages end-users to validate all battery packs shipped with their notebook PCs or purchased as options or spares at http://www.hp.com/support/BatteryReplacement. This Web site provides information on determining whether the battery pack is affected and instructions on how to order the new battery pack.

Click Here to Validate Your Battery

Severe weather and disaster can strike at any time.  Thunderstorms, lightening, heavy rains, and tornadoes occur more frequently in the spring than any other time of the year-and all place your computer equipment at greater risk of downtime and data corruption.  If you are prepared for disaster ahead of time you will be in a better position to get back to business fast.  Below are a few important steps to have in place to protect your business.

Data Backup
One of the most important steps in being prepared for a disaster is data backup.  If your business were to become a victim of disaster, would you be able to continue serving your customers?  Not backing up your computer systems opens the door to liabilities and huge losses in revenue and reputation. 

Battery Backup and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Power Protection
Battery backup devices—also known as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)—provide protection from several risks including weather related disasters. When computers are abruptly turned off due to power outages from lightening, thunderstorms or tornados, there is great potential for data loss and corruption.  Quality UPS systems are important and provide small businesses with a cost-efficient method of protecting themselves from the power outages that can trigger data loss.  By properly using a UPS, your network and computer systems can be protected from outages lasting just seconds up to several hours.  It is also important to ensure there is sufficient power.  Remember a UPS with lower volt amps and watts of power may be sufficient for a single basic desktop computer, but a larger UPS is required for servers and power hungry desktops.Â
It is equally important to connect all equipment to the UPS properly.  Battery backups are often unboxed and plugged in. Without proper cable connections, software installation and configuration, these devices may provide no additional protection from power failure and data loss and corruption.  When any new back-up system is installed, it must to be tested to make sure it operates correctly. After that, the system should be tested once a quarter for at least an hour.  The life expectancy of battery backups are about three years.  It is important to ensure your battery has been tested and checked around that time period as well.Â
Disaster Recovery Plan
Disasters of all kinds can occur at any time without notice.  Companies not prepared for disaster risk consequences ranging from prolonged system down time and revenue loss, to the threat of going out of business completely, yet many small to medium businesses are still not prepared.
A disaster recovery plan, also known as a business continuity plan, is a set plan which describes how a business will recover from a disaster.  Just as a disaster is an event that makes the continuation of normal functions impossible, a disaster recovery plan consists of the precautions taken so that the effects of a disaster will be minimized and the organization will be able to either maintain or quickly resume mission-critical functions. Typically, disaster recovery planning involves an analysis of business processes and continuity needs; it may also include a significant focus on disaster prevention.  Testing, reviewing and updating your disaster recovery plan are imperative to maintaining business continuity and business existence.Â
Be Prepared for the Worst
With spring and severe weather approaching, be prepared for the worst and implement or maintain your data loss plan, power protection plan, and disaster recovery plan now.  For more information or assistance in implementing any of these plans, contact Bennett today!