OK, so it was an exciting week at PC Mall for me. I love these new services we offer, they almost round out our product offerings perfectly. All week long I have been having conversations about our remote and onsite network management capabilities, our data center hosting, penetration testing, and disaster recovery solutions.
I still fit the usual chatter about desktops, laptops, printers, rackmount servers, blade servers, NAS and SAN storage solutions into the week, but the new titles definitely caught my attention.
The one piece still not 100% there is a co/lo facility. A lot of my customers are now looking towards a colocation facility to meet their DR needs. They need a secure trusted site, run by people of the highest integrity to locate their second set of servers and storage for disaster recovery purposes. Until we offer a true co-location option, I am going to recommend Liquid Web with secure facilities as an ideal company to host their equipment.
Friday, September 24, 2010
PEN Testing
It always surprises me when very smart people, who can configure complicated networks, refuse to test that network against threats from attacks within and outside of the organization.
They will throw up the Cisco, Sonicwall, Watchguard or Barracuda firewall to protect their general networks- servers, storage, switches. Then they will add more granular protection, end point protection such as Symantec Total Protection, CA, Trend Micro, McAfee, Kaspersky, AVG, Eset...there is a plethora of chocies when it somes to end point protection.
Each one, of course, will tell you that they are: the best in class, best of breed, the smartest, the fastest, real time, heuristic, reputation based, zero day protection, total protection, extreme defence, 98%, 99%, 100% effective against any and all attacks- anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-malware, anti-trojan, anti-webbot, browser hijacker, anti-DOS attacks...just the safest thing since chastity was under attack.
What boggles my mind is that so many IT Professionals believe what they are told by these security companies and never actually hire someone to actually check their network security. When they get a virus, or are attacked, they are shocked! Shocked that someone could actually outsmart their maginot line of tech products to guard against this very thing.
Case in point, Facebook, and Twitter. These are smart people with deep pockets and yet the only time they seem to realize their networks are vulnerable is when they go down after an attack.
As an IT solutions and services specialist, I suggest yearly penetration tests (PEN Tests) at a bare minimum, though monthly or bi-monthly would be my recommendation. And not a test where your internal resources who would hesitate to embarass you by pointing out a whole in your defence for fear of being fired, but use an outside IT company such as Sarcom to do the testing both inside and outside of your walls.
Start with the outside, tell them only what they need to know to identify that it will be your network they are testing and let them see where, if any, vulnerabilities exist. This "Black" PEN testing will give you a real world hacker eyeview of where you may have areas in your networks that can be exploited.
Have a second firm test inside of your walls, maybe Ligatt Security or some other testing firm. Let them know how many ports and see if an internal disgruntled employee can wreak havoc from within.
Be smart and protect yourself. A lot of money is spent to make you think your network is safe, why not put it to the test to prove that it is safe?
They will throw up the Cisco, Sonicwall, Watchguard or Barracuda firewall to protect their general networks- servers, storage, switches. Then they will add more granular protection, end point protection such as Symantec Total Protection, CA, Trend Micro, McAfee, Kaspersky, AVG, Eset...there is a plethora of chocies when it somes to end point protection.
Each one, of course, will tell you that they are: the best in class, best of breed, the smartest, the fastest, real time, heuristic, reputation based, zero day protection, total protection, extreme defence, 98%, 99%, 100% effective against any and all attacks- anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-malware, anti-trojan, anti-webbot, browser hijacker, anti-DOS attacks...just the safest thing since chastity was under attack.
What boggles my mind is that so many IT Professionals believe what they are told by these security companies and never actually hire someone to actually check their network security. When they get a virus, or are attacked, they are shocked! Shocked that someone could actually outsmart their maginot line of tech products to guard against this very thing.
Case in point, Facebook, and Twitter. These are smart people with deep pockets and yet the only time they seem to realize their networks are vulnerable is when they go down after an attack.
As an IT solutions and services specialist, I suggest yearly penetration tests (PEN Tests) at a bare minimum, though monthly or bi-monthly would be my recommendation. And not a test where your internal resources who would hesitate to embarass you by pointing out a whole in your defence for fear of being fired, but use an outside IT company such as Sarcom to do the testing both inside and outside of your walls.
Start with the outside, tell them only what they need to know to identify that it will be your network they are testing and let them see where, if any, vulnerabilities exist. This "Black" PEN testing will give you a real world hacker eyeview of where you may have areas in your networks that can be exploited.
Have a second firm test inside of your walls, maybe Ligatt Security or some other testing firm. Let them know how many ports and see if an internal disgruntled employee can wreak havoc from within.
Be smart and protect yourself. A lot of money is spent to make you think your network is safe, why not put it to the test to prove that it is safe?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Datacenter Hosting and Remote Network Management
We now do Datacenter Hosting and Remote Network Management
http://www.nspi.com/
Also Penetration Testing, Disaster recovery, and Hosted Microsoft Solutions like Exchange and SharePoint
http://www.nspi.com/
Also Penetration Testing, Disaster recovery, and Hosted Microsoft Solutions like Exchange and SharePoint
InFocus 3916
This new InFocus projector is awesome!
 | InFocusIN3916 2700 Lumens Widescreen Interactive Projector - FREE LAMP WITH PURCHASEEngage your audience with an IN3916 WXGA interactive projector instead of a cumbersome and expensive interactive whiteboard or smartboard. Turn any surface into an engaging, collaborative interactive workspace.PC Mall Part #: 8187658 Mfr. Part #: IN3916 |
Monday, June 14, 2010
Eset NOD32 anti-virus
Possibly the best anti-virus solution on the market, Eset.
"ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4 sports the fastest, most effective technology available to protect you from viruses and spyware without slowing you down while you work or play."
I have 4 licenses complimentary of Eset to give away to the first 5 people who email me at either webmaster@itinfoguy.com or garfieldj@pcmall.com
"ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4 sports the fastest, most effective technology available to protect you from viruses and spyware without slowing you down while you work or play."
I have 4 licenses complimentary of Eset to give away to the first 5 people who email me at either webmaster@itinfoguy.com or garfieldj@pcmall.com
Monday, April 5, 2010
Windows 7
A few of the Microsoft Windows 7 offerings at PC Mall
Microsoft
Windows 7 Professional 32-bit OEM - English - Single Pack DVD
With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups. It's a great choice for home and for business.
PC Mall Part #: 7936298 Mfr. Part #: FQC-00730
Microsoft
Windows 7 Professional - Complete package - 1 PC - DVD - English - North America
With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups to your home or business network. You can also connect to
PC Mall Part #: 7849054 Mfr. Part #: FQC-00129
Microsoft
Windows 7 Professional - 64-bit - License and media - OEM - DVD
With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups. It's a great choice for home and for business.
PC Mall Part #: 7936299 Mfr. Part #: FQC-00765
Microsoft
Windows 7 Ultimate - Complete package - 1 PC - DVD - English - North America
Windows 7 Ultimate is the most versatile and powerful edition of Windows 7. It combines remarkable ease-of-use with the entertainment features of Home Premium and the business capabilities of Professional, including the ability to run many Windows XP
PC Mall Part #: 7849056 Mfr. Part #: GLC-00182
Microsoft
Windows 7 Professional 32-bit OEM - English - Single Pack DVD
With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups. It's a great choice for home and for business.
PC Mall Part #: 7936298 Mfr. Part #: FQC-00730
Microsoft
Windows 7 Professional - Complete package - 1 PC - DVD - English - North America
With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups to your home or business network. You can also connect to
PC Mall Part #: 7849054 Mfr. Part #: FQC-00129
Microsoft
Windows 7 Professional - 64-bit - License and media - OEM - DVD
With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups. It's a great choice for home and for business.
PC Mall Part #: 7936299 Mfr. Part #: FQC-00765
Microsoft
Windows 7 Ultimate - Complete package - 1 PC - DVD - English - North America
Windows 7 Ultimate is the most versatile and powerful edition of Windows 7. It combines remarkable ease-of-use with the entertainment features of Home Premium and the business capabilities of Professional, including the ability to run many Windows XP
PC Mall Part #: 7849056 Mfr. Part #: GLC-00182
HP ProBook 4520s
HP $799.99
Smart Buy ProBook 4520s Intel Core i5-430M 2.26GHz Notebook - 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, 15.6" LED-backlit, DVD±RW SuperMulti, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Webcam, 6-cell Li-ion
Intel Core i5-430M 2.26GHz, 3MB L3, 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 320GB 7200rpm SATA, 15.6" LED-backlit HD Display, Intel HD Graphics, 2MP Webcam, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 32-bitPC Mall
Part #: 8057571 Mfr. Part #: WH289UT#ABA
Smart Buy ProBook 4520s Intel Core i5-430M 2.26GHz Notebook - 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, 15.6" LED-backlit, DVD±RW SuperMulti, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Webcam, 6-cell Li-ion
Intel Core i5-430M 2.26GHz, 3MB L3, 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 320GB 7200rpm SATA, 15.6" LED-backlit HD Display, Intel HD Graphics, 2MP Webcam, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 32-bitPC Mall
Part #: 8057571 Mfr. Part #: WH289UT#ABA
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Netbook 7 inch- multiple colors
Hardware Overview :
LCD Display 7" Digital TFT (800 x 480)
CPU VIA 8505 300MHz
Operating System Win CE 6.0 Professional Plus
Chipset Integrated
Ram 128MB SD RAM
Storage 2GB Flash
Card Reader Support SDHC
Graphic Card Integrated
Lan Built-in 10/100M LAN
Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
Audio Integrated
Power 7.4V 2100 mAh
Size 215 x 145 x 27 mm
Weight 0.7 kg
Ports/Slots 1) 3 x USB 2.0 2) 1 x Mic jack 3) 1 x Headphone jack
4) 1 x SD card slot 5) 1 x Network connector (RJ45) 6) 1 x AC adapter connector
Applications :
Internet Explorer, MSN, Skype, E-mail, Excel, Word, Word Pad, PDF Viewer, Powerpoint, Calculator, Recorder, Media Player, Image Player etc.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
IT Info Guy Tablet Netbook 10.2" - Sold Out!
A few items that have come to the attention of the IT Info Guy
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Certifications
Thanks to the PC Mall the IT Info Guy has the following certifications:
VSP4 (VMWare Sales Professional) certified
VTSP4 (VMWare Technical Sales Professional) certified
EMC certified
CA certified
Symantec SSE certified
Microsoft certifications
Compellent Enterprise Storage Solutions certified
Cisco CSE
There's probably a few others that I just cannot remember right now :)
VSP4 (VMWare Sales Professional) certified
VTSP4 (VMWare Technical Sales Professional) certified
EMC certified
CA certified
Symantec SSE certified
Microsoft certifications
Compellent Enterprise Storage Solutions certified
Cisco CSE
There's probably a few others that I just cannot remember right now :)
Monday, March 22, 2010
Dell vs. HP
This is a question I struggle with whenever a customer asks me for a recommendation on what PC to use in their environment. The answer is never a clear cut decision until a few questions are asked to clear up concerns on 4 things; pricing, availability, reliability, and customer service. It is a difficult thing to explain, and have someone understand, that all 4 of those concerns are singular and completely interconnected at the same time.
Here is what I have found in my experiences.
When it comes to price, Dell generally costs less. They buy strategically different than HP, and they build their machines differently than HP. For one, Dell, with few exceptions, custom builds all of their machines. They have the orders in hand and are 90% guaranteed their money before a machine ever ships, especially on the lucrative consumer side where margins are especially healthy.
HP on the other hand pre-builds a lot of their units and must count on smart, intuitive marketing to make their money back. This also means HP has additional costs that Dell does not have to endure such as massive inventory.
On the flip side this puts availability squarely in favor of HP’s corner. Most HP models can be ordered today and delivered tomorrow whereas Dell has a standard 7-10 day build time. Heaven help us if a part for the build is not available, then the lead time is pushed out to who knows when. Dell does not offer absolutes on their deliveries, only estimates. If you have a project where you absolutely need machines to be at a certain location by a certain date, HP is a better bet than Dell.
Dell also tends not to standardize the parts inside all of their machines. This means that if you take 100 Dell Optiplex 960’s (or any other model) with the same configuration, open them up, you will find that the 1gb RAM stick in each might be from different manufacturers, the power supply in each may be from different manufacturers, the hard drives, etc same thing.
HP does standardize the parts within a series or model. Take 100 NV516UT and you will find consistency and uniformity throughout the build. The RAM will be the same, the hard drives, the DVDRW, the power supply, etc. HP also has a larger depth and breadth to their portfolio of HP branded products so if you need to equip your office with and HP desktop, attached to an HP switch, connected to an HP server, hooked into HP storage…No Problem! If you need the printer, the keyboard, the mouse, the scanner, the fax, the UPS, the external HD, etc, HP can do all of that.
This is important depending upon what level of standardization you are looking for in a machine for your environment. If it is not important or moderately important, the Dell will just fine. If it is very or extremely important, the HP is a better bet.
Why? The answer is that each manufacturer of the various components in a machine, will QC to different standards. A stick of RAM from Kingston will undergo different testing than a stick from Edge, or Axiom, or Crucial. A hard drive from Seagate will be different from the same form, fit function drive from Axiom, Fujitsu, Fantom Drives, Western Digital, etc.
When it comes to customer service, this is a lot like the reliability question…it is a matter of taste. Both companies have their strengths and weaknesses. Dell gives an excellent up front warranty with their builds and the ease of deploying that warranty is amazing. If you have the service tag (serial number) for the machine and you are the authorized buyer, Dell can help with just about any problem affecting that machine.
HP has a mediocre warranty up front but additional levels of support are fairly inexpensive to add on. Calling 1-800-HP-INVENT can sometimes be trying but generally runs fairly smooth. Where HP really excels is in their onsite support, especially for server and storage products.
So at the end of the day, there is no real winner and my struggles continue. I just need to listen to what is important to you and then decide if Dell or HP will best meet your needs. Maybe I will decide that Lenovo or Acer will be a better fit than either. What my customers are certain of, is that the IT Info Guy will find a suitable solution for them.
Here is what I have found in my experiences.
When it comes to price, Dell generally costs less. They buy strategically different than HP, and they build their machines differently than HP. For one, Dell, with few exceptions, custom builds all of their machines. They have the orders in hand and are 90% guaranteed their money before a machine ever ships, especially on the lucrative consumer side where margins are especially healthy.
HP on the other hand pre-builds a lot of their units and must count on smart, intuitive marketing to make their money back. This also means HP has additional costs that Dell does not have to endure such as massive inventory.
On the flip side this puts availability squarely in favor of HP’s corner. Most HP models can be ordered today and delivered tomorrow whereas Dell has a standard 7-10 day build time. Heaven help us if a part for the build is not available, then the lead time is pushed out to who knows when. Dell does not offer absolutes on their deliveries, only estimates. If you have a project where you absolutely need machines to be at a certain location by a certain date, HP is a better bet than Dell.
Dell also tends not to standardize the parts inside all of their machines. This means that if you take 100 Dell Optiplex 960’s (or any other model) with the same configuration, open them up, you will find that the 1gb RAM stick in each might be from different manufacturers, the power supply in each may be from different manufacturers, the hard drives, etc same thing.
HP does standardize the parts within a series or model. Take 100 NV516UT and you will find consistency and uniformity throughout the build. The RAM will be the same, the hard drives, the DVDRW, the power supply, etc. HP also has a larger depth and breadth to their portfolio of HP branded products so if you need to equip your office with and HP desktop, attached to an HP switch, connected to an HP server, hooked into HP storage…No Problem! If you need the printer, the keyboard, the mouse, the scanner, the fax, the UPS, the external HD, etc, HP can do all of that.
This is important depending upon what level of standardization you are looking for in a machine for your environment. If it is not important or moderately important, the Dell will just fine. If it is very or extremely important, the HP is a better bet.
Why? The answer is that each manufacturer of the various components in a machine, will QC to different standards. A stick of RAM from Kingston will undergo different testing than a stick from Edge, or Axiom, or Crucial. A hard drive from Seagate will be different from the same form, fit function drive from Axiom, Fujitsu, Fantom Drives, Western Digital, etc.
When it comes to customer service, this is a lot like the reliability question…it is a matter of taste. Both companies have their strengths and weaknesses. Dell gives an excellent up front warranty with their builds and the ease of deploying that warranty is amazing. If you have the service tag (serial number) for the machine and you are the authorized buyer, Dell can help with just about any problem affecting that machine.
HP has a mediocre warranty up front but additional levels of support are fairly inexpensive to add on. Calling 1-800-HP-INVENT can sometimes be trying but generally runs fairly smooth. Where HP really excels is in their onsite support, especially for server and storage products.
So at the end of the day, there is no real winner and my struggles continue. I just need to listen to what is important to you and then decide if Dell or HP will best meet your needs. Maybe I will decide that Lenovo or Acer will be a better fit than either. What my customers are certain of, is that the IT Info Guy will find a suitable solution for them.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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