Cloud computing is here to stay and the team at Sea to Sky is more than pleased to embrace this new way of doing business. The cloud offers businesses economies of scale to help keep prices low without sacrificing service delivery to the end user. However, it is important to note that, for now, most businesses will continue to require the ability to connect to a local server to run some third party software. The fact is that hosting all software offsite is not an option for every company.

Building a hybrid cloud environment will allow a business to use its third-party software on a scaled-down server to save money, while taking advantage of the latest advances in hosted email and file management technology. Microsoft has invested a lot of resources into building an infrastructure that allows for integration with the cloud and onsite environments. Working with a Microsoft Partner, like Sea to Sky Network Solutions, will help make sure the transition goes smoothly and everything actually works. For most clients we highly recommend a cloud, or hybrid cloud, solution because it can save thousands of dollars in upfront hardware costs. Other sources of savings include the cost of ongoing hardware management fees and lower costs to store data offsite, thereby deflating a key financial barrier to entry for most SMBs.

There are some factors to consider when planning a hybrid network infrastructure. It is important to understand the purpose of your business network before purchasing hardware or software. A responsible IT provider will ask questions, such as:

1. What software does the business plan on using?

A lot of third party software is not cloud-ready, and our clients are sometimes surprised when they discover this. In time, all software will be available in the cloud, but for now, that is not the case. When a software firm designs a new product, they use the tools available to them at the time. Cloud computing in the business market is only a few years old; therefore, some software does not support the necessary integration. If a business is planning an upgrade, it might be a good time to look at a solution that utilizes the cloud. The best part about the cloud is that your software will always be up to date as the payment method is perpetual.

2. What problems might the organization face during implementation or migration?

Integration is the key component to consider when mixing hosted and onsite solutions together. In the past, Sea to Sky has worked with clients who rely on custom software designed before Y2K. In some cases, it makes sense to use this old software, but in most cases we advise them to consider a new cloud solution. The good news is that, moving forward, all software should become cloud compatible. In fact, there are some solutions, such as CRM software, that have moved to a completely hosted environment. One of the first examples of this is SalesForce CRM or Microsoft’s Dynamics CRM. These solutions integrate with Microsoft Exchange and allow the user to easily organize their work life. Now is a good time to consult with your IT provider and begin the first steps of drafting a plan to upgrade old software to something with cloud integration. In the future, those who are left behind will be at a distinct disadvantage when compared to their competitors.

3. What type of ongoing management will the network require once it is set up?

Cloud solutions drastically reduce the ongoing management costs of a network, but that does not mean ongoing assistance has fallen to the wayside completely. Companies will always need someone to help manage user accounts and implement new features as they are released. In the hybrid-cloud environment, the recurring cost of hardware maintenance and management are lower, but they still apply. Make sure to discuss maintenance and management of the hosted solution with your IT provider. You may find that a hybrid solution is not as cost effective as keeping all of your services on a local server, although this is very rare now a days.

This list of questions is not exhaustive, but it should get the decision-maker at your organization headed in the right direction. The team at Sea to Sky Network Solutions is very excited for the future of business networks. We get a lot of enjoyment from helping our clients become more efficient in the information technology products and services they use. Planning on how to deploy your IT services may be ambiguous right now, but the Sea to Sky team can help direct any SMB towards their custom path of maximum productivity. Contact us for more details!

- Sea to Sky Team

HP has recently released a number of new models, replacing some of their most popular LaserJet printers. Until the end of April, both the old AND new models are on sale!

Discounts are up to 50% for some fantastic printers, so let us know what your needs are, and we can help you choose the best printer for your office – and we’ll get it installed and configured so that it works the way it’s supposed to!

Should a business allow staff to connect, and use, personal devices on the office network? The idea of BYOD, or bring your own device, has become more popular in recent years. However, there is added risk if fundamental services, such as email and file sharing, are not configured and managed properly. A business’s primary concern should always be to protect its data when searching for cost saving trends. One of the leading justifications for BYOD is that it moderates hardware procurement and monthly service expense. A business may financially benefit from implementing a BYOD policy, but, before adoption, it is important to evaluate the advantages and apprehensions with a Sea to Sky technical team member.

Advantages:
At first, there seems to be very little argument against transferring financial risk from the business to the individual. Businesses do not have to worry about lost/stolen/broken hardware device replacement fees, managing monthly billing, including notorious overage charges, or device upgrade fees. It frees up extra cash for the business, which can be used for other growth strategies. As a point of interest, we find that most employees are willing to pay for their own service fees if it means they get to choose the device and carrier they want.

Generally, businesses who adopt this policy find that users purchase the latest technology, which provides a competitive advantage in speed, functionality and connectivity. Specifically, we have found that users who own their devices upgrade or update their personal hardware more frequently than a business.

Apprehensions:
On the other hand, there are issues related to BYOD that should be addressed before the topic is ever brought up within an organization. BYOD adoption disassociates the IT department with what happens to a user’s device. More importantly, the business becomes less able to control what hardware joins its network. As a result, some hardware/software configurations may generate security concerns that can cost more in the long-run.

BYOD policies must outline, in detail, what is and is not acceptable in an office environment. An accepted use policy should be drafted, presented and signed by the staff before foreign devices start joining the network. This policy should involve the HR department, the IT department and the executive team to make sure all technical and legal angles are covered. It is important for an organization’s staff to acknowledge they understand the rules surrounding personal devices at work.

From an IT perspective, a BYOD policy must discuss company data storage and data ownership expectations. We have found that BYOD-type trends make it much harder for an organization to retrieve their data after an employee is let go. The reason for this is that the employee is not required to surrender their devices after they leave. Sea to Sky can implement solutions that help an organization retain more ownership of their data with BYOD considered. We can help segregate data from a staff member’s personal device with, or without a server; ask us for details!

Conclusion:
Personal devices will continue to make their way into the business environment with or without formal approval. This can be a very dangerous prospect for a business, but Sea to Sky Network Solutions can help build a master plan to manage IT systems with BYOD in mind. Use discretion before making the decision to an IT trend such as BYOD.

Sea to Sky Network Solutions is an IT provider, based in Vancouver, focused on helping businesses make the right IT decisions. Each business has unique needs and requirements as they relate to cost, security and data ownership. Our team can help you create an IT plan for today and tomorrow. Contact a Sea to Sky team member for more information.

- Sea to Sky

This article represents the last part in Sea to Sky Network Solutions’ blog series on “Understanding Office 365.” Over the past month, we have looked at how Exchange Online helps a SMB manage, and retain, company emails and discussed the advantages of SharePoint Online as a cost effective file sharing and collaboration tool. However, there is one more piece of the puzzle; Lync Online. As with Exchange Online and SharePoint Online, Lync Online began its existence as a server-based solution with extremely high IT management costs. These costs created a barrier to entry into the SMB online communication market. Microsoft recognized the value Lync could bring to SMBs and created Lync Online. Lync Online in Office 365 allows a business to hold an online meeting with 250+ users, if necessary, while viewing video, audio and content. It is a very exciting solution with capabilities ready for the future. In fact, Lync Online is actively utilized by the team at Sea to Sky Network Solutions; here is a good example of how we use Office 365 and Lync Online:

Use Case Scenario:

My business partner was out of town and I needed to review a client’s contract with him. Even though the person I wanted to speak to was on vacation, I noticed he was online and available in Outlook – Lync integrates with Outlook by adding a ‘presence icon’ which tells the sender if the person they wish to reach is available (green), busy (red) or away (yellow) – so I initiated a chat session. Once he answered, we were instantly connected via audio, video and screen sharing. While there are several services similar to Lync Online, they will never be as integrated of a solution with the Office software suite, after all Microsoft is the developer of both pieces of software. Additionally, Lync is centrally managed by the company and all features and settings are delegated to user, rather than the user delegating to the company.

I pulled up the document on my computer, I invited my business partner to view the Microsoft Word file, and gave him full control over editing the document which is store locally on my machine. Editing a single copy of a file reduces the likelihood of losing and changes when compared to a file being sent back and forth via email. We discussed what needed to be updated and I watched as he made the necessary changes. I give him my input and we quickly finalized the contract. Lync allowed us both to ask and answer questions in a live environment. The entire process took minutes instead of hours. In fact, we were able to go from issue to resolution in about 15 minutes; how is that for efficiency!

Lync Online allows a company to retain full control over their internal, and external, communications in an environment that is familiar, easy to use and understood by anyone who uses Microsoft Office. Lync Online is bundled into Office 365’s E series of plans, which include Exchange Online and SharePoint Online.

Lync includes features, such as:

- Connect with others through instant messaging (IM), video calls and online meetings.
- Move easily from instant messaging into ad-hoc online meetings that include audio, video, and screen sharing with just a few mouse clicks.
- Conduct online presentations to customers and colleagues including audio, video, screen sharing, and a virtual whiteboard.
- Invite external contacts to easily join online meetings through a native or web-based client.
- View presence status and click to communicate from within Microsoft Outlook, Office SharePoint, and other Office applications.
- Communicate with external organizations running Lync using IM, audio and video through Lync federation.
- Connect with Windows Live Messenger contacts using IM, audio and video calls directly from Lync**.
- Reply to an email with an instant message or an audio call for quicker and more effective resolution of issues.

There is so much more to this great product. If you want to learn more about Lync Online, Office 365 or any other Microsoft product, please contact a Sea to Sky team member at info@seatosky.com or 604.628.6970.

- Sea to Sky Team

The future of business data storage and connectivity is in the cloud. Cloud computing allows business owners to share data in a protected and price effective – pay for what is used and who uses it – monthly fee structure. The idea of cloud-based collaboration is not something new to Microsoft. In fact, Microsoft has been building an all-encompassing cloud solution for a long time. Through internal development and the acquisition of technology firms, such as Groove, – Groove was a company acquired by Microsoft in 2005. Groove’s technology represents the basis of SharePoint Workspace for the synchronization of online and offline data on a SharePoint site - Microsoft is well positioned to further develop Office 365 for the SMB and enterprise cloud marketplace. Microsoft SharePoint Online is built in to Office 365 as an added value product. The goal is to help client unfamiliar with SharePoint realize its potential. How does it work and how can it make your business more efficient?

SharePoint Online is an evolutionary product of the SharePoint family. SharePoint was origionally designed to be hosted on a private server, but SharePoint Online relieves a business of the need for an onsite server by hosting the service in Microsoft’s state of the art, 2+ billion dollar, Microsoft Online Services datacentres. This dedicated, fully redundant, infrastructure alleviates the need for a business to house and maintain the servers needed to run Microsoft’s SharePoint, Exchange and Lync products. All in an effort to provide enterprise services to smaller clients who would have otherwise been unable to purchase them.

SharePoint Online is completely customizable and provides the ability to:

- Manage and share important documents with colleagues

- Share personal insights and status updates with colleagues

- Keep teams in sync and manage important projects

- Find important documents and people easily

- Stay up to date with company information and news

- Create Microsoft Office documents and save them directly to SharePoint Online.

- Protect sensitive content with document-level permissions.

- Access important documents offline by using SharePoint Workspace.

- Enable real-time communication with colleagues from within SharePoint Online.

- Control service provisioning, monitoring, and reporting to simplify management through a single console.

- Project Professional 2010 synchronizes task status with SharePoint 2010 to enable effective project collaboration with teams.

​Because SharePoint Online is designed as a monthly service the software will always be up to date. All updates and new features are pushed down to the end user much quicker than a traditional software update on a server. This rapid deployment helps increase productivity across the end user team in an effort to help them work better, faster, and smarter.

As mentioned above, SharePoint requires customization. This customization will require a SharePoint developer for advanced integration, but most basic file sharing needs can be configured in a very short period of time. If you have any questions about Office 365, SharePoint Online or any other products or services offered by Microsoft, please contact a Sea to Sky team member for more information or visit the Office 365 website at (http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/office365/enterprise-solutions/business-benefits.aspx)

- Sea to Sky Team

It’s back! Microsoft is offering subsidized pricing on new purchases and renewals for business licenses for the following products:

- Microsoft Office 2010,
- Microsoft Exchange 2010
- Windows Server 2008 R2
- Windows Small Business Server 2011
- Microsoft Lync 2010
- Microsoft SharePoint 2010

These partner subsidy dollars apply to:

- Open License,
- Open License with Software Assurance,
- Open Value and,
- Open Value Subscriptions.

There are two discount levels; 15% for one product line purchased and 20% if two or more product lines are purchased.

Now is the time to renew or buy because this offer ends March 31st. If you would like more information, Sea to Sky Network Solutions is the Microsoft Partner who can help.

Contact us for more information at info@seatosky.com.

- Sea to Sky Team

Did you know that there are different technologies, or protocols, to deliver email? Did you know that Microsoft’s Exchange email protocol is the best solution for a user with numerous devices (computer, phone, tablet, etc…) and multiple users? This article will compare Exchange Online to POP and IMAP which are now older email technologies. POP and IMAP represent email solutions which are less unified and less expensive to maintain. Because of this they are commonly offered as a free service to their users. These services are usually offered free of charge thanks to revenue generated by monthly internet service fees by an ISP (i.e. Telus) or advertising revenue derived from scanning a user’s email messages for keywords (i.e. Google’s Gmail). POP and IMAP have their place in the consumer email world, but there is no doubt that Exchange email is a must for businesses. Let’s take a quick look at the evolution of email; from POP to IMAP to Exchange.

POP Email:

POP email was designed for a time when 56k modems were popular and logging on and off of the internet was the norm; I think we all remember those 56k modem screeches and beeps of days gone by. Because POP email was developed in an era of limited bandwidth, it does not support synchronization between multiple devices. As a result of this limitation POP email does not maintain continuity across multiple devices. This limitation makes it much harder to manage message status (i.e.: what has been sent and received). Now multiply this problem by the number of employees in a business; that is where it gets complicated.

IMAP Email:

Fast forward a few years, the 1990s, and email users are now excited about the introduction of IMAP email protocol. IMAP is a more robust system with features that address some of the limitations of POP email by utilizing the capabilities of broadband internet. IMAP protocol hosts a user’s messages on a server to facilitate the synchronization of multiple devices. These messages remain on the server until they are explicitly deleted by the user. This is a great help for multi-device synchronization, including folder synchronization, in a simplistic world of one user with little to no support needs.

Exchange Email:

Now we get into the good stuff; Exchange email! Most people don’t get excited about this, but the team at Sea to Sky does. We are huge fans of this technology because of the added value it brings to an organization. Exchange offers greater management, security and communication capabilities that help a company manage its intellectual property. Until recently, this technology required an onsite server and continuous support to make sure security patches and updates were installed. The costs associated with this discouraged a lot of SMB owners from purchasing the product. Thankfully, Microsoft recognized the need for hosted Exchange and has since released Office 365 Enterprise plans which offer hosted services in a monthly subscription model. This is proving to be hugely successful and paves the way for growth in the feature set of Office 365.

Exchange’s unique features, thus far, include:

- Better support and synchronization for email, calendar, contacts, tasks, notes, etc…

- Shared calendars and group collaboration features
- 25GB mailboxes
- Slick integration with installed Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc…) including Office:Mac 2011
- Growth into SharePoint Online and Lync Online for document sharing and online video, audio and screen sharing conferences.
- Full Push Email (aka always-on) capability

Advanced security and productivity management capabilities, include:
- Legal hold (in case an employee deletes emails)
- Exchange Forefront (enterprise class spam and virus protection)
- Message archiving (backup of all messages)
- 99.9%, financially backed, uptime (ask for details)
- Remotely disable accounts through an administrative console if a device is lost or stolen.

Exchange email services are charged on a per user, not per email address, basis to help reduce costs. Contact a Sea to Sky technician for more information (www.seatosky.com). Additionally, Office 365’s services are advertisement free and do not use your company’s data for marketing purposes.

Here is a short video to help explain the day in the life of an Exchange Online user:

Video: Office 365, Exchange Online

Next up, we will provide a review of Office 365’s SharePoint Online service; stay tuned!

- Sea to Sky Team

This milestone represents a huge step forward in the day-to-day management of business communication and collaboration. To most people it may not be quite as thrilling as the release of Angry Birds on the PlayBook, but business owners should seriously consider BBCS and Office 365 as a company-wide communication solution. The bottom line is BBCS and Office 365 can save a considerable amount of time and money without foregoing advanced features found in server-based BlackBerry management systems, such as the BlackBerry Enterprise Server family of products.

Before the release of BBCS, the ability to manage an entire organization’s mobile phone system from a central portal was only available to companies who had an onsite server with BlackBerry Enterprise Server software. This hardware/software solution requires a substantial upfront capital investment that most small business cannot justify. Hardware solutions have several growth limitations and can become very expensive to replace if an organization experiences rapid expansion. Additionally, these solutions can be hard to manage on a monthly basis without a dedicated IT person. That is why Sea to Sky’s Microsoft certified team is excited to provide information on cloud services offered by RIM and Microsoft. It really does represent a new way of looking at enterprise email, file sharing and online communication with virtually unlimited scalability. BlackBerry Cloud has been built from the ground up to work with Office 365’s selection of enterprise plans. When properly configured, support costs and capital investment costs become a lot less expensive. Finally, it is comforting to know that these products are being offered directly by Microsoft which eliminates compatibility issues as the product evolves.

Notable features of this collaborative effort include:

- Secure transmission and synchronization of Microsoft Exchange Online email, calendar, contacts and organizer data.
- A data management system called BlackBerry Balance which helps to securely separate personal and work data on a single device.
- A cloud, or web, based console allowing IT administrators (Sea to Sky’s technical staff) to manage and secure a BlackBerry smartphone more efficiently.
- Additionally, this console will allow the BlackBerry user to access self-serve options, such as password resets and remote lock/wipe functionality.

For reference, here is a complete comparison of the BlackBerry management solutions currently available: BlackBerry Comparison Document

Now that BlackBerry fully integrates with Office 365, Sea to Sky would like to take this opportunity to let our readers know about a series of blog articles we plan on releasing over the next month. These articles will provide insight into the features of Office 365 and the BlackBerry Cloud. We encourage you to contact us if you have further questions about these new services by emailing info@seatosky.com.

All the best,
- Sea to Sky Team

Following the steps below will help reduce the likelihood of computer hardware becoming damaged due to extreme weather conditions. Please remember that these are simply guidelines. If you are concerned about the health of your computer please contact a Sea to Sky technician for assistance as soon as possible. Additionally, if you wish to further protect your investment please ask Sea to Sky to include a “drops and spills” warranty on your new computer.

The most common scenario in which a laptop becomes exposed to freezing conditions is in the trunk of a car. Firstly, a car is never a good place to store a laptop. It is best to take your laptop inside with you whenever possible. If you find yourself in a situation where the laptop has been exposed to temperatures outside of the manufacturer’s specifications, we recommend following these simple steps:

- Make sure the laptop is completely turned off (not just in sleep mode); take the battery out if possible.

- Bring the laptop inside with you to help it reach room temperature. Make sure you allow the computer come to room temperature naturally; do not use a hair dryer or any other heater to accelerate this process. Quick temperature changes can cause the components to loosen, crack or break. A simple way to check the temperature of the computer is by touching the outside surfaces, including the keyboard, with your bare hand. If the computer feels cold when compared to the room – the ideal temperature is 22 degrees Celsius – you must continue to wait; patience is a virtue. Warming a laptop from freezing to room temperature could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours.

- Finally, check for condensation. If you find condensation do not turn the laptop on until it has evaporated. You should check for condensation in the fan’s exhaust vents and the input ports (USB, monitor, audio etc…) on the laptop. Again, allow this process to occur naturally with the computer completely powered off.

If you plan on using your computer in extreme weather, or temperature, conditions on a regular basis, we recommend investing in a laptop designed for rugged use. The Dell Latitude ATG (http://www.dell.com/ca/business/p/latitude-e6420-atg/pd) series of computers is a great example of a product designed for less than favourable conditions. This speciality line of laptop computer offers exceptional performance and retains the business styling of the Latitude line. The Latitude ATG computers have been tested to MIL-STD 810G and IP5X levels of protection against ingress of humidity and dust. They also include special rubber seals to protect the data ports from direct exposure of unfavorable conditions. Additionally, the Dell Latitude ATG series of computer includes a reinforced metal chassis to reduce the likelihood of internal damage from a short fall of approximately 30 inches.

If you are interested in learning more about how to keep your technology investments safe, or if you wish to learn more about rugged laptop options, please contact a Sea to Sky team member for more information.

Stay Warm!
- Sea to Sky Team

If you are working over this holiday we would like to remind you that we are here to take your support calls and, as always, our managed service clients are being monitored 24/7.

Season’s Greetings!
- Sea to Sky Team