Fandotech IT Business Solutions

Managed Firewalls, The Smart Choice

Current firewall technology can look "inside the packets" of data as it travels into your network and intelligently filter services within services. For instance, need your employees to be able to access Facebook, but don't want them playing Farmville? No problem. This 15-minute webinar explains the benefits of managed firewalls.

February 2012 Hardware Update

In this month's hardware update, Aaron discusses the foll0wing:

• Intel has put out a new chip. And there’s a new chip set for the new chip—socket 2011. Looks like it’s going to be a desktop and server chip with 8 slots of memory, which means you can put a ton more memory on the board—doubled from the historical standard of four slots.
• Aaron recently purchased the Transformer Prime. Shortcomings? They took away a few things from the original, going more for aesthetics over function. For instance, the solid aluminum case makes it sleek and durable, but also makes it difficult to get a wi-fi signal. They’ve also eliminated one of the original USB ports: the original had two, the new model has only one on the keyboard dock that comes with the device.?Pluses? The new Transformer has the ability to read any SD card and mount it as media, which most portable devices are not capable of doing. Aaron has had success plugging external hard drives into his new device and it just works—no special formatting needed. This new Android also boasts a file manager. The speed upgrade has not gone unnoticed either!?Also, this is the first portable device that provides users the ability to manage power settings in a manner similar to a laptop. Performance mode gives you the juice you need to render high quality graphics and increase your speed, eco mode gives your battery life more longevity, and there’s a balance mode to give you something in between. If more portable devices adopt this level of management users will be better equipped to have the power they need on-demand.
• Hardware advancement in general is slowing down. Companies are not going to make giant leaps in their new releases if they’re only competing against themselves. This new trend has both Intel and AMD releasing new products with smaller increments of advancements such as the newest AMD video card—the 7000 series.
• Windows 8 is on the horizon. The same interface was planned from?Smartphone-to-server, but word is that Microsoft has scaled back their original grandiose plans to be more practical for the specific needs of the individual environments.
• The new Galaxy Note tablet was advertised during the Super Bowl, although it’s not out yet, but it is promising big things!
• Solid-state drives are dropping in price as production ramps back up after the flooding in Thailand and other factors affecting our global economy. Standard hard drives and spinning storage on the other hand is seeing an uptick in pricing.

Benefits of Virtualization

Michael Archick, Fandotech's Director of Virtual Infrastructure,?discusses the benefits of virtualization from the data center to the desktop. Topics include the differences between traditional vs. virtual infrastructure, cost savings benefits, server consolidation solutions, and time management improvement strategies.

WordPress in 15 Minutes

Craig Samson shows us how to use WordPress to set up a website in 15 minutes. WordPress isn't just for blogs anymore, it's capable of managing just about any type of website.

IT Panel Discussion

Mike Archick, Chuck Lindblom, and Craig Samson discuss SOPA/PIPA, cloud apps and migration to virtual environments, as well as recent changes to Gmail and Google search results.

Email Encryption for Secure Messages

Joe Bucceri explains what email encryption is, how it benefits its users, and demonstration one system in action.

Microsoft Outlook Tips & Tricks

We review automating your inbox by creating rules in Microsoft Outlook 2010.

Asus Ultrabook Pros and Cons; January 2012 Hardware Update

January’s buzz worthy hardware update is the Asus Ultrabook. Aaron “Hardware is my Hobby” Brenkus runs down the specs and the pros and cons of ownership.

The Ultrabook is a thinner, lighter, smaller laptop that packs a lot of juice. Inspired by the MacBook Air, this “laptop light” concept meets the demands of an Enterprise business world being Windows 7 capable.

Built with either a Core i5 Intel chip (base model) or the ?Core i7 (the latest, fastest chip from Intel chip), this ?-inch thick laptop sports a processor traditionally only found in a desktop. “Tons of power in little teeny, tiny space.”

The solid-state drive (SSD), as opposed to a hard drive, along with an LED/LCD paper-thin screen contributes to its portability. Although the SSD is vibration resistance but Aaron warns that something this thin has “ “fragile” written all over it.

How much do they cost? The Ultrabook starts at around $1000 but the can run you more than $2K for the 15-inch screen device. What do you get for your money? Well first off you get a full keyboard (compared to a tablet). Battery life is extended drastically in this device because it doesn’t take as much juice to push the device. New mobile chips released need half the wattage as traditional chips. No spinning storage means you can run an average of 10 to 12 hours on a single battery charge.

Additionally having the SSD en lieu of spinning storage means your device responds and retrieves data faster than a traditional laptop. Word of caution though – SSDs are not proving themselves 100% reliable in the long term.

Who’s developing this technology? All the mainstream tech companies have a version of the Ultrabook in the works. Asus released a week ago but HP and Dell shouldn't be too far behind with a similar release answering the traveler's call for an ultra thin, large screen laptop that boasts battery life and portability.

Microsoft Word Tips & Tricks

Craig Samson walks us through Microsoft Word 2010 page breaks, section breaks, and header & footer options in this 15-minute webinar.

December Hardware Update

Aaron Brenkus reports back on the hardware news as 2011 draws to a close. Get his opinion on the new Asus Transformer Prime, Amazon Kindle Fire, Samsung Galaxy Tablet and Windows Phone System. Plus AMD and Intel promise to deliver longer battery life; due to roll out Q1 of 2012.