Are you handling Credit Card Payments? Let us help you become PCI compliant!

While we are all working towards making our businesses run as smoothly and safely as possible, one of things you may have overlooked is making sure you client’s financial information is as safe and secure as possible.

Credit Card information is a critical piece of information that you need to be aware of protecting. It is not hard to do so but you need to put the right protection in place to help you do this.

We find many small businesses still using simple home routers or just your Internet Provider’s modem for your connection to the Internet. That is just not the right piece of equipment to do this. You need to call one of our security experts to provide suggestions on how you can easily create a secure environment for your business.

We suggest Sophos Security products primarily to do this for you. The first line of defense is to put in place a business class firewall that will provide the following protection:

• ·         Intrusion Protection for those trying to break into your network and detection of outbound traffic that needs to be secure and managed
• ·         Control address, port, protocol and specific application traffic and behavior patterns.
• ·         Perform NAT (Network Address Translation)
• ·         Detect and block spoofed IP Addresses
• ·         Inspect data traffic for malicious activities

While this is a good first step in creating a protected environment, it is not the only one you need.

Again, contact one of our security specialists that can provide you with a complete analysis and recommendation for your business.

Why migrate to 802.11ac?

Mobile devices and apps are pushing Wi-Fi to the limit and there’s no end in sight. Workers are determined to use enterprise apps on personally-owned devices to get more done and it’s placing a huge burden on corporate Wi-Fi networks. That’s why enterprise IT is migrating to 802.11ac, the gigabit Wi-Fi standard.

In this 802.11ac primer learn more about:

• Why is 802.11ac crucial for today’s all-wireless workplace
• What are the key technical advantages of this wireless standard
• Why you should move to 802.11ac

Get the 802.11ac Migration Guide

Let me help you to become the Mobility Hero for your organization today.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the Aruba product line give Jude Daigle or Bob Appleby a call at 724-838-7526

Learn more about the why, the how, and the significant improvements attained by migrating to 802.11ac.

PAconnect
http://www.paconnect.com

VMware Horizon Mirage

Here’s a quick video on VMware’s Mirage product. Really looks interesting from an IT perspective in managing a large group of PC’s that have mostly the same setups on them. It allows you to separate the PC into logical layers and to keep backups of desktop images to enable quick recovery or rollback in case of failure.

Priced at $1,815/10 pack this is a relatively elegant method of ensuring uptime for your office workers on their machines.When you compare this cost to the downtime for your users and the support costs to bring them back up you can easily see the cost savings.

How can this product help you? Use it to speed up Window 7 Migrations, or to Simplify PC Backup and Desktop Recovery and easily Manage Remote and Branch Office PCs. If you have 10 or more machines then this product can be a big benefit for you.

• Download Datasheet
• Download FAQ
• Windows 7 Migration Solution Brief
• Horizon Mirage Reviewer's Guide
• VMware Horizon Mirage FAQ document

News: Researcher finds vulnerability in WPS protocol

Stefan  Viehbock has just discovered a major security vulnerability which allows someone to use a brute force attack to access a WPS PIN-Protected network in about two hours. According to Viehbock, a design flaw allows the WPS protocol’s 8-digit PIN security to fall dramatically as more and more attempts are made. This flaw after each failed attempt will cause the router to send a message stating whether the first four digits are correct while the last digit of the key is used as a checksum and then given out by the router in negotiation. This results in what was a 100,000,000 possible choices that was initially considered for WPS security level to drop drastically down to around 11,000.

The reasoning behind the original design was to make it easier to bring new device onto your home network more easily especially for unskilled home users. This method now allows it to be much easier for hackers to break into a secure Wi-Fi network as well.

"A few weeks ago I decided to take a look at the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) technology,"Viehbock said in a blog post. "I noticed a few really bad design decisions which enable an efficient brute force attack, thus effectively breaking the security of pretty much all WPS-enabled Wi-Fi routers. As all of the more recent router models come with WPS enabled by default, this affects millions of devices worldwide."

US-CERT said in its warning that there is no known fix to the security problem. Instead, the group recommends that users disable the WPS function on their routers. The warning lists several wireless router vendors as selling devices that are affected by the security hole: Buffalo, D-Link, Cisco Linksys, Netgear, Technicolor, TP-Link, and ZyXEL.

US-CERT indicated in its warning that it notified router vendors that are affected by the security issue in early December, but so far the vendors have not offered a response nor have any of them issued statements.

For more information:

• Wikipedia Entry about WPS Protocol Specification
• Stefan Viehbock’s Original Blog Post
• CNet’s take on this Vulnerability

Sharkoon Announces Hard Drive Docking Station with Gigabit Ethernet

Press Release:

Sharkoon presents the successor to their local network, insertable hard drive docking station with the SATA QuickPort Pro LAN: The Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Pro LAN Giga replaces the existing Fast Ethernet interface with a significantly faster Gigabit Ethernet interface. Through its LAN Port, associated hard drives and other medians can be integrated into a local home or office network.

In addition to the LAN Port and plug-in for SATA hard drives in 2.5 and 3.5 inch format, the Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Pro LAN Giga provides an integrated dual USB2.0 hub and a card reader for SD, SDHC, MMC and MS cards. The USB hub and card reader are connected via USB to a computer or laptop, with hard drives also being connected alternatively via the eSATA interface.

In order to ensure that all inserted SATA hard drives, memory cards and USB devices within the QuickPort are available to all users of a local network, the docking station must be connected to the network with the corresponding software installed on all computers involved. The individual user can add the device to their computer through the Software menu. If a user accesses the device then it is closed to all remaining network users. If another user needs the device, they can simply send the current user a request for release. If needed, the reset button on the backside allows the USB server to be restarted.

Like the previous QuickPort models, the Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Pro LAN Giga is equipped with a hard drive ejection button and LEDs indicating power supply and disk activity. The adapter measures 133 x 71 x 95 mm (W x H x L), weighs 545 grams and includes an instruction manual with Tool CD, power supply, patch cable, USB cable and eSATA cable.

RouterSoft-Allows you to turn your notebook into a secure wireless router.

I recently spent a two week period in training in a Raleigh, NC where my hotel room only had a single “Wired” internet connection. While this was great for my notebook being directly tied to the cable connection, my other wireless devices would have been unusable if I hadn’t brought an Access Point with me on the trip. In this situation I could have used this software on one of the two notebooks I had brought with me and turned it into a router that would have provided a secure wireless connection for all of my wireless devices. Then I could have had one less device in my kit bag to drag along with me on the trip.

There are many other situations that this software product can help you with as well. Allows the wireless connection that you are using on your notebook to be shared with other devices. Why is this important? If the connection is a rented link like in a hotel, you could expand that link to multiple devices through the single interface. Share the Aircard you have in your notebook with multiple devices. Use your imagination I’m sure you can come up with other situations that may make this piece of software useful to you as well.

RouterSoft works on any machine running XP, Vista or Windows 7 operating systems. When setting up your network router it forces you to assign a password to access your network and it creates a secure, encrypted link between the machine that is running the software and your wireless devices. You can demo the software for free by downloading from their site. The demo has a time limit on it of 24 hours. They have two other pricing plans as well. If you want to buy the annual subscription it is $9.95 and they also have an unlimited version for $29.95. So it is very reasonable and much less expensive then purchasing a hardware access point or router.

Keep this product in mind when you get into a jam and need to expand your capabilities on the road. It may be a wonderful utility that will solve your wireless problem.

University of Ottawa -- Delivering Multimedia to 100 iPads

Here is a quick note to show how Wi-Fi networks can truly deliver a reliable Wi-Fi experience on tablets and smartphones. There was a recent deployment at University of Ottawa where they ran 6 multimedia applications across 100 iPads in 1 room!

The goal was to baseline performance of Wi-Fi networks for the influx of mobile devices. This was made possible with Aruba’s 802.11n Wi-Fi, which is the industry’s first and only solution to be validated with real-time multimedia apps over iPads. This test offers a model for not just Higher Education, but also any enterprise that needs to support mobile devices and voice/video applications.

Click here to read more and watch the 3 minute video. Please contact us directly to see how this can be relevant for network planning decisions.

Visit our website for more information

Jude Daigle

Special News: Astaro joins Sophos

Astaro announced that Sophos and Astaro have signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Sophos. Together with Sophos they will offer a complete security solution, deliver protection regardless of where the use is, what device they are using, or where the company’s network boundary may lie.

With more than 100 million users in 150 countries, Sophos is the fastest growing of the three largest endpoint security companies. And with more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards.

Astaro will be the network security product line within Sophos and will be able to leverage a global brand and a larger organization with complementary technologies. We will stay very focused on high quality network security products and their role in what will be the industry's first coordinated gateway and endpoint security solution.

We see this as a positive change giving both companies the products that each needs to widen their security support.

Aruba Unveils Next Generation Network Access Products

Press Release:

Introducing MOVE: Next-Generation Network Access Products from Aruba

The onslaught of Wi-Fi-enabled mobile devices brings new challenges to IT departments looking to speed service delivery while lowering costs and risk. Access networks are critical to meeting these challenges and the recent growth of enterprise mobility has changed requirements for how these networks are built and operated.

To address these needs, Aruba announced the Mobile Virtual Enterprise (MOVE), a mobility-centric access network that gives IT departments unprecedented visibility and control over mobile users, devices and applications.

As part of the MOVE architecture, Aruba introduced a series of products that enable users to securely access the mobile enterprise network, regardless of their location. Together, they eliminate the cost and complexity of managing separate wired and wireless networks as well as access policies. For your customers, this means fewer physical network connections and less equipment in the wiring closet - rightsizing the enterprise access infrastructure.

The MOVE architecture is encompassed in several new products and releases, including:

• Mobile Device Access Control (MDAC) for Apple iOS Devices
  • ArubaOS 6.1 for Aruba Mobility Controllers
    • Device fingerprinting for mobile device identification and access control
    • With Aruba Amigopod and the AirWave Management Suite, enables the deployment of a complete MDAC solution.
• Aruba AP-134/135 3x3:3 802.11n Access Points
  • High security 802.11n MIMO
  • Nearly Gigabit/sec capacity per AP
• Aruba S3500 Series Mobility Access Switches
  • Unified security across wireless and wired Simplified wiring closet with controller-based configuration
  • Brings wireless polices to the wired network
• Aruba VIA Client for Mac OS X
  • Zero touch deployment and maintenance
  • Integrated with campus and branch access network
• Aruba Instant Wi-Fi for Small Offices
  • Virtual controller technology, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi for small offices

Seamless upgrade path to a controller based Aruba solution

Trendnet’s new 500Mbps powerline Ethernet product.

Ethernet over power lines has always been a part of our arsenal to connect PC’s when we don’t want to run wire. The draw has been that it is relatively slow when compared to the speed you are achieving over CAT5e and CAT6 cabling. It is nice to be running at a full gig between your workstations, servers and other networked devices. What we have seen in the past from powerline Ethernet was always in the 11-14mbps range but Trendnet’s new product promises to get that speed up where we need it to be to handle your Data, VOIP and Video traffic.

Things like Blu-ray players, game consoles, TVs and all sorts of other stuff need a web connection to work a lot of times. The catch for many of us is that not all of the gadgets have WiFi built-in and sometimes WiFi just doesn't cut it when it comes to getting a reliable connection.

Trendnet has unveiled a new powerline networking system that is aimed at folks streaming lots of HD models and other large files across a network. The networking kit promises powerline networking at up to 500Mbps. Each of the adapters has a Gigabit Ethernet port built-in and has 128-bit AES encryption. The system has one button set up and an LED indicator on each adapter for network status.

You are limited to a maximum of 16 adapters (nodes) if you are streaming video. Additional adapters can impact performance. Networked Powerline devices need to be plugged into power outlets that are on the same electrical system. The network signal transmits up to 300 meters.

You will be able to get two kits with the powerline gear. The TPL-401E is a single adapter and will ship on November 29 for $99.99. The TPL-401E2K kit is a pair of the adapters to get you started and will ship on the same day for $179.99. You can add more adapters to your powerline network as needed, but you need a pair to get started.

POINTDEV Partner

Computer Connections is now listed as a Reseller for POINTDEV’s Windows Administrative Tools Products.

POINTDEV’s Products include:

• IDEAL Administrator - simplifies the administration of your Windows NT, XP, 2000, 2003 and 2008 network by providing in a single tool all the necessary features for managing domains, servers, and users. Your administration can be done through a local network, via a Wan, a VPN, or Internet.
• IDEAL Alerter - Manages the monitoring of defined events and applies a set of associated actions on network servers and client workstations. Using IDEAL Alerter, you can easily and remotely monitor the execution and stop of processes, monitor service status changes, monitor registry database writings, monitor event logs, monitor changes on files and directories, monitor user session events, manage disk space, detect installation or uninstallation of programs ... on all the servers and client workstations in your network... For each event to monitor, you can define some actions to automatically execute, like running a command or script, killing a specific process, uninstalling a program, turning off a computer or locking a session, starting or stopping a service, sending an email
• IDEAL Remote - IDEAL Remote is a “light” version of the IDEAL Administration flagship software. IDEAL Remote lets you take control remotely of your Windows NT, 2000, XP, 2003, 7 and Vista workstations. In addition to taking control remotely, you have access to the properties of remote computers, events, printers, processes, sessions, open files, WMI properties and, finally, to the information systems. Your administration can be done through a local network, via a Wan, a VPN, or Internet.
• IDEAL Migration - automates your Windows NT and Active Directory domain consolidation and migration.

You are able to migrate all the server objects (OU, groups, users, files, ACL, etc.) from and to any Windows NT and Active Directory server, but also too automatically change the domain client PCs without intervention. Its whole features and its compatibility with Active Directory make it one of the strongest on the market.  Once your migration or consolidation plan is established, IDEAL Migration manages the transfer of required objects for the good execution of your mission.

• IDEAL Dispatch - provides remote installing and uninstalling of software, remote running of scripts and programs, and remote actions (view, copy, rename).
  With the help of IDEAL Dispatch, you can remotely install Windows patches, run scripts and msi files, uninstall programs, or update software on all the servers and client workstations on your network.
• IDEAL Secure - manages the optimization of network servers and client PCs through the application of predefined actions. These settings are classified by theme: Windows, Hardware, Network and Software. So, with IDEAL Secure, you can remotely optimize, secure and parameterize Windows NT, 2000, 2003, 7, XP and Vista operating systems in a few clicks and without agents. You can easily enable or disable a set of actions on a selection of computers in a single step.

New Product SKUs available from Buffalo in their Linkstation V-Series

We have been using the Buffalo NAS and USB products in many of our installations over the past several years. Buffalo has provided us with great support which allows us to pass that support on to you as well.

“Protecting and managing digital content has always been a time consuming task for home and small business users,” said Ralph Spagnola, vice president of sales at Buffalo Technology. “With the new LinkStation V-Series family, users access and share their data twice as fast that they would with a standard NAS device.”

Buffalo Technology has just announced its update to its popular LinkStation network storage family in the form of its high-performance V-Series line that includes the LinkStation Pro, LinkStation Pro Duo and LinkStation Pro Quad. The new V-Series family uses a 1.6GHz processor, offering users performance with network transfer speeds up to 76MB/s, touted as being twice as fast as competing network hard drives and faster than USB 2.0 storage solutions.

The dual drive solution offers RAID for redundancy and data protection, not to mention a user removable quick swap hard drive for simple drive servicing without the need for tools.

Dual drive gives you the opportunity to have redundancy built right into the machine. This gives you better data protection for your most important information, especially in a business environment.

If you are putting one of these into a home environment it is a DLNA CERTIFIED device, enabling simple streaming to any DLNA compatible media device, such as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Combined with the recently announced free WebAccess i app for Apple iPod touch and iPhone and WebAccess i HD app for iPad, the new high performance LinkStation V-Series family revolutionizes how digital content is shared and consumed. These new apps provide iPhone and iPad users an easy and convenient way to access and stream digital content from a Buffalo NAS solution directly to their Apple mobile devices. With a simple setup and intuitive interface, Buffalo’s newly redesigned WebAccess feature allows users to easily stream digital content stored on any Buffalo network storage solution from anywhere in the world via a Web browser, iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

Prices range from $189.99 to $1,039.99, depending on the model, and storage capacity that you choose, and will come with a one-year warranty.

Is Hiding Your Wireless SSID Really More Secure?

Very interesting article posted by lifehacker about setting up your network wireless router and thinking that you are securing it by not broadcasting the SSID. While this may help in keeping it safe from honest people that don’t have the tools to sniff out you network, anyone that knows what they are doing and has the software tools available to them can find your network without the SSID being broadcast. However, the are some real negative problems that you might run into with older wireless equipment not being able to find your router if it is not broadcasting. So you are better off with putting strong passwords on your WPA security settings than turning off the SSID broadcast function.

Click to read more ...

Can’t Send Mail and you are using Comcast?

Users all over the country are finding out daily that suddenly, for no apparent reason at all, they are unable to send mail if they want people to reply to their business or personal e-mail addressed other than one that is @comcast.net. This is because Comcast is blocking port 25 , which is your default port for sending email through your mail software.

Click to read more ...

Buffalo Releases TeraStation Windows Storage Server

New TeraStation WSS (Press Release to Buffalo Partners)

Buffalo Releases TeraStation Windows Storage Server
Buffalo's new TeraStation Windows Storage Server offers dependability, seamless integration, and one of the best values in  networked storage.  Windows Storage Server provides businesses a solution that offers no compromise integration into Windows workgroup or domain environments.

The TeraStation WSS features Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 Express Edition and helps businesses store and protect their digital assets.  The TeraStation WSS is easy to install and manage, and offers the power of a Windows server operating system to provide a feature rich environment and easy to set up file sharing.  With seamless support for protocols such as SMB, NFS, AppleTalk, and Netware, The TeraStation WSS allows data to be shared among different platforms.  In addition, native integration with the Active Directory service provides simplified management for customers operating in a Windows domain environment.
Available in the following skus:
2.0TB   WS-Q2.0TL/R5
4.0TB   WS-Q4.0TL/R5

Video Conferencing on the Cheap

Skype has been around for a long time now and I find that it still is an essential tool in my arsenal daily used applications. It works into our environment at the office even more because our main service ticketing system utilizes will make use of it to dial out from the customer contact pages. It gained even more of my appreciation this past Friday when I spent most of the afternoon in video conference with our public relations person. We have been working on prepping for this weeks video projects about CES and were able to work online, with full video and sound and sharing files back and forth between our computer systems while in our separate offices. Not that this is something recently available, it was just that it was geeky neat! We were able to easily bring different people into our office and review captured video and each of were able to process the work that we each needed to complete and share with each other.

Items needed: Skype Account, Computer, Web Camera, an Internet connection and someone with the same basic setup. If you are connecting computer to computer your Skype account is free. If you want some of the other basic features that are available from Skype like calling to a non-Skype user or a land line, or having a Skype Phone Number then these services make Skype that much more useable.

Are you doing proper backups of your precious data?

  It is so important to do proper backups of you data but sometimes our best attempts fall short of what is necessary.

In the diagram to the left I have put together what I consider as the best configuration for protecting your data. First Remember that your data isn’t backed up unless it is saved in at least two places. If you move you data to your network storage and remove it off of you local drive then it is stored in just one place, on your network storage.  In the first drawing, I have the data being backed up to the NAS storage device that is connected to the router. Additionally, data would be stored to an online backup service to give you another redundant backup off-site. I will discuss some of your online storage options later.

In the second drawing, I have included a second backup source for your local network. There are several companies that make a NAS drive/USB Drive duo to allow a backup locally of this data. If you decide to go this direction, then the NAS device can be your primary storage area, which would make more sense if you have multiple computers in your home or small business environment. This allows for centralized storage and gives everyone access to your stored files.

Online backup services do differ. In a home environment you want to have a good source to back up to but don’t want to pay an arm and a leg. Mozy and Carbonite are priced very closely for the home consumer. Jungle Disk has more flexibility and can be more cost effective especially for someone that has multiple computers in multiple locations. There are no limitations from where you can backup from with Jungle Disk, they charge based on the amount of data that you are storing offline. Carbonite and Mozy have fixed costs for home users but Mozy charges a storage fee as well for commercial clients. Carbonite will only backup files on the computer that has the software installed on it. Mozy will let you backup from any drive source, network, shared or locally connected. If you are backing up with the software on different machines, you will need a license for each machine so it pays to put all your data on a central device and then have a single computer controlling the backup of that data.

	Pricing	Pros/Cons
Carbonite	$59.95 unlimited file storage	Least Expensive of the three we services that we are showing here. Won’t back up attached or network storage devices. Need a separate license for each machine you want to back up
Mozy	Mozy Home: $4.95 per license/workstation unlimited storage. Mozy Pro: ($3.95/Desktop, $6.95/Server plus $.50) /gb/month	Doesn’t have the individual file size limitation that Jungle Disk has. Can back up NAS and USB Attached Storage Devices. For larger storage needs this service can be more expensive for Mozy Pro (commercial) subscription. If you are storing 100GB’s from a single desktop you cost would be $53.95/month compared to Jungle Disk that would cost $17.25. Mozy would be my choice for home storage of if I have files that exceed 5gb’s in file size.
Jungle Disk	Personal Storage Simply Backup: $2/month includes 5GB free. $.15/gb/month for storage above 5GB’s. Personal Storage Desktop Edition: $3/month includes 5GB free. $.15/gb/month for storage above 5GB’s. Workgroup Storage: $4/user/month + storage fees. First 10GB free. Additional storage $.15/gb/month. Supports groups from 2-100 users. Server Edition Storage: $5/server/month + storage fees. First 10GB free. Additional storage $.15/gb/month.	If you have less than 25gb’s to store offsite the Simply Basic subscription is less expensive than Carbonite or Mozy. If you have multiple computers to backup use the Desktop Storage version. This will give you another network “CLOUD” drive that can be accessed by any of your computers that you have installed the software on. Workgroup Storage gives you the ability to limit what can be accessed by members of your group while providing centralized backup for all the members of your group. If you have people located in different places this gives everyone in the group easy central access through the internet of your data/documents. One big problem though is that files sizes that can be backed up are limited to 5gb’s per file. If you need or want the flexibility this service provides, this is the most cost effective method to store large file capacities from multiple systems and/or locations.

Physical Memory Limits for Microsoft Server Operating Systems

Same reasons for as previous post. Here are the published memory limits for the different “current” Microsoft Server Operating Systems:

How do you map a network subdirectory as a mapped drive in Windows 7?

Here is a simple video showing you how to map a network drive in Windows 7

The Complete Guide to Google Wave: How to Use Google Wave

I am jealously awaiting my invitation to Google Wave, but the reality of it all is that I will probably wait until I have the time to fully focus on it more than I could possibly do now. Gina Trapani with Adam Pash are collaborating on an online guide to Google Wave. It will be interesting to see as time goes by whether they will begin to use Google Wave to communicate together as it becomes more stable. Because Google Wave is evolving every day, the book will be a work in progress that will be continually updated as these changes settle in. They have a series of planned PDF publishing dates over the next year.

Take a quick look to see what Google Wave is about or if you are currently working with this product and want to contribute to the creation of this work, take a look. So pick up on their invitation “to help revise and expand this guide as Wave evolves.”

The Complete Guide to Google Wave: How to Use Google Wave