KitRx FRONTLINES - Technology, IT and Managed Services

Building my new PC

2009-04-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

I've been putting this off for years but now I'm forced to build another system when my old faithful CPU bit the dust this morning . I've been using the same desktop since Moses came back in 2000, which is kind of embarrassing as a IT guy. I was just to lazy to build another one and move all the apps and cash is tight - most of my data is on the file server or drives I'll just move over . So I've decided on what I want, ordered it and it came to a whopping $650 for motherboard, decent case, CPU, video card, a little extra memory and a high quality 600w power supply.

- Core 2 Quad Core Q6700 - http://news.tigerdirect.com/2008/04/15/intel-core-2-quad-q6700-processor/ like a year and a half old but a third of it's original price and still a monster.
- Intel DG35EC Motherboard - actual Intel brand which for $85 bucks is a workhouse - planning to add Windows XP64 with 4-5GB of XM2 DDR2 RAM depending what I find lying around in the office http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=I69-2168
PC Power & Cooling 600W power supply to run the video card nicely - not cheap at $90 but a must have these days.. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=P227-1000
- GE 9500T 1GB DDR2 which is a steal for $70 - not the gaming superstar for a $M but seriously good deal mated with the Intel Quad core it should be smoking fast! http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=E145-9504
- For drives I'm still chewing on spending the money on a solid state drive (you can get a 32GB for $100) but I don't want to deal with the shorter life but booting in 7 seconds is quite the incentive - However, I actually already have a WD Raptor - 74GB 10,000RPM drive - so I'm using that as my boot drive and that will stem the bleeding - I'll RAID two 500gb 7200rpm data drives that are lying around the office to store crap on...

How to point your Google Site to an existing Domain Name

2008-08-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

For all you guys moving your clients over to Google apps hear ye, hear ye!

I recently created a Google site for my fiance's interior design business under my personal Google account, without realizing that there would be no way of moving it to a Google apps account once I was finished. No migrate tool, no export function..no nada! I had spent a fair amount of time figuring out the Google Site GUI, and the last thing I wanted to do was to recreate the entire site again in the Google Apps account which I had created for her domain. I was under the impression that I could create a business class Google apps account with my existing logon - but I was wrong. Google apps requires an Administrator for a domain and so needs to separate the accounts by design.

Although I understood why, the most annoying thing with Google Apps is that you cannot associate your Administrator account with your personal Google account; and flipping between the two causes annoying cookie retention problems. Google has done a good job at recognizing this issue and has some automated tools that recognize the two accounts and tries to help navigate you to the correct account. But still there was no function or tool which I could find that would allow me to tie the personal Google site with an existing domain nor migrate a Google site from my personal account to my domain Google apps account .

The way I managed to point my Google Site to an existing domain was to first go to my host's Cpanel for designwise-sd.com and create a CNAME for a new sub-domain, in this case wub.designwise-sd.com pointing to ghs.google.com

----------------------------------------------------------------

The next step is to login to your Google site settings and add the sub-domain you just created to the Web Address section.

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I then created an .htaccess file with (good tutorial is located here) and entered in the following code without quotes:

"redirect 301 /index.html http://wub.designwise-sd.com"

or for all files on your domain use

"redirectMatch permanent ^(.*)$ http://wub.designwise-sd.com"

Obviously, you want to replace /index.html with your default page (could be index.htm; or index.php etc.) and http://wub.designwise-sd.com with your sub-domain name you created in the previous section. This is a more SEO friendly way to redirect a site versus using Meta tags to do it, which I wouldn't recommend.

----------------------------------------------------------------

I logged onto the FTP for designwise-sd.com and uploaded the .htaccess folder to the root of the site. This is the same location as your index.html (or your equivelant) file and CHMOD the file 644. The .htaccess file will now redirect all traffic showing up at www.your-domain.com to your-new-subdoman.com in real time. As an FYI, the .htaccess is a hidden file and usually waon't be displayed in your FTP client once uploaded so Enable View Hidden Files is a good tutorial.

If anyone knows a better way to do this or there is a problem with this technique, please comment!

CNN Alert Spam - Avoid Vundo infection

2008-08-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

KitRx at EveryMethod is cleaning at least two or three infections of a new strain of the Vundo virus each week. Our managed systems are all protected with Anti-Malware/Virus software but they seem to make no difference and even cause further complications. I've finally come to the conclusion that Anti-virus software is practically useless against any elective installed Malware like these variants of Vundo. I cannot remember the last time any of these overhyped, under performing software packages actually found anything worthwhile. There are a number of variations to the Vundo hijack theme and almost all are deployed by forcing or requesting an install of a bogus video CODEC or flash plugin.

Vundo infects victims' computers by exploiting a vulnerability in Java and Windows systems and is deployed as a rootkit which makes it very difficult to remove = expensive. Many of the popups advertise programs including WinFixer, WinAntiVirus, WinAntiVirusPro, ErrorSafe, SystemDoctor, WinAntiSpyware, AVSystemCare, WinAntiSpy, XPAntivirus2008, Performance Optimizer, StorageProtector, PrivacyProtector, WinReanimator and others which are very similar programs available only for Windows that claim to repair computer system problems but do not actually do so - so DON'T INSTALL THESE WHEN TOLD TO DO SO - YOU'RE NOT A ROBOT - THINK FIRST THEN CLICK. There are no FREE TRIALS, just infected systems and expensive cleanups. This variant shown in the pics was sent using a CNN Alert SPAM email originating out of the Czech Republic.

The image shows an attempt to install a hijacked version of a flash plugin by the deploying site, masquerading as a CNN Video site. IF YOU CLICK OK YOU WILL BE INFECTED - PERIOD - SO DON"T. Unfortunately hitting CANCEL puts you in a loop which means you have the kill the browser process in Windows Task Manager. The pic shows the Firefox process but look for your browser in the list - then hit END Process. Delete the email, empty your trash and forward the link below to all your friends.

http://blog.kitrx.com/2008/08/cnn-alert-spam-vundo-infection.html

MSP's in Chaos

2008-08-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

As the MSP landscape continues to contract and the latest hype-cycle continues on it's precipitous downward trend, I worry for our future. The list of vendors manipulating our good, trusting natures to bridge the gap to eventually sell and service our clients direct is growing by the minute. Dell's apparent disingenuous approach to the channel and their willingness to sell to anyone or anything that has a pulse was to be expected. Microsoft's recent unveiling of it's SaaS strategy at the WPC is a seismic shift in their business model, and was enough to have left many Microsoft Partners angry as hell. HP's CEO recent comments about partners needing to get with the(his?) program or leave. Disintermediation in it's absolutely purist form!

In fact Stephen Eloph, the new Microsoft Channel Chief was quoted as saying "Every one of us has to embrace the fact that a lot has changed and will continue to change" - Scary stuff. Microsoft's new strategy includes trying to convince us to start bringing competitors into our customers - the old partner-to-partner ruse - to offset cost. I saw IBM do this when the hardware margins disappeared about 6-7 years ago along with half their channel. Earth to Steve, you've already decided that you're going to sell direct to my clients, so cutting costs horizontally is not going to save my margins. Just be straight and we'll live with it - But please don't load us on the the cattle train to Auschwitz while telling us we're going on vacation- We deserver more!

It makes you wonder if all of this was worth it. The late nights, the financial investments, the dangerous "turn on a dime" switch in approach? The wag is tailing the frikkin' dog as my grandfather used to say, and nobody knows what the fuck is going on. Really - no I'm serious dude! Guess what gents, we're being screwed....again! If you think I'm being negative you should read some of Charles Weaver's blog posts at the MSPAlliance, because apparently he has no clear idea as too what is going on either.

Oh and by the way, would someone please tell the 12th Untangle sales rep to support my region in 6 months to stop calling! Open Source is apparently the new way to hijack your clients into thinking your hobbleware is free!

Updates for 1st Quarter 2008 - R.I.P Cornelius Pickering

2008-04-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

A year ago everyone in the company was reeling from the death of our much loved co-worker and close friend, Cornelius Pickering, to a random skateboarding accident. This devastating loss has tended to make everyone take stock and show a renewed interest in their personal and work life. I'm confident that it will be a positive experience for all when all is said and done - it certainly reinforces my philosophy of Yourself, Family and Work in that order. He was a true gentle man and he will always be deeply missed by all his friends at the office and his bro's in the surf.

Other than a few extra gray hairs and other discomforts of different kinds, the transformation of EveryMethod from a traditional IT and residential service company into KitRx - A Managed IT Services Company. [Definition] - is now officially complete. KitRx is our year old Managed Services offering - specifically developed for small businesses with 5 -100 desktops and any number of servers of virtually any brand. It provides a unique and efficient mechanism for system support using Technology to manage Technology. We have invested in the highly secure Kaseya managed Services platform, in addition to the multiple servers to deploy it. We have spent 12 months working dilligently in meeting our deployment goals and we thank the customers who helped us evaluate and tweak the system -

The only difference between the service you have received in the past and KitRx, is the way the service itself is delivered. Instead of the reactive, expensive and inefficient break-fix method of IT services, KitRx provides you with a true partner who is managing your systems on a daily basis. KitRx identifies and responds to many issues before you know they exist, and in all other situations it provides an efficient help desk with a ticketing system and live chat. It provides our skilled engineers all the information they need at all times, to respond and fix your problems - often immediatly with no loss of productivity. It more often-than-not negates the need for onsite support at all, saving you time and ultimately money from loss of productivity and frustration.

For more detailed information about KitRx visit our website

For more detailed information about the KitRx service offerings[pdf]

As a loyal EveryMethod customer we want to provide you as much infomation as possible doing our transition. Below we have listed information about the KitRx transition for our different customers.

Residential: Although it is possible for KitRx Agent software to be installed on residential computer systems, EveryMethod does not provide this service for residential customers or Small Office/Home Office users as the minimum requirement for KitRx is five systems. In order that we don't leave our residential customers high and dry, we have setup a mechanism to support you remotely through our unique and secure (encrypted) streaming technology and provide you with in-shop service at our depot repair location at 511 South Coast Highway #205. As of August 1, 2007 EveryMethod will no longer be making house calls.

Small Business: KitRx software agents can be installed on all your Desktop and Server systems, allowing us to provide efficient monitoring and response both on site and remote. If you choose not to participate in the KitRx program and meet the criteria, EveryMethod will still provide break fix support using a streaming account. To setup a streaming account, please call us at 1866-66-KITRX or 760 487-1356 and follow the prompts for a new customer or request this at time of your service need.

Small Business on Maintenance Plans: The majority of our maintenance customers have already been informed of the transition, but if you have any further questions, please feel free to call me at any time with any questions. As an existing EveryMethod maintenance customer your plan will continue until the contract period expires. After the contract period you will be transitioned to KitRx - if that has not already been done. The KitRx service level agreement (SLA) will detail all the service provided but you affectively will inherit a broader breadth of services.

MSP's Listen Up: 5 Issues To Consider When Choosing Your Platform!

2007-10-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

Choosing a platform is going be one of the most important decisions you'll ever make as an MSP and shouldn't be taken lightly. Much like any other Enterprise IT class of software, the MSP platform is a complex beast, with multiple layers of functionality and levels of process integration. It'll become obvious that some Vendors are more capable than others, but unfortunately there are scarce impartial resources available both on and offline to help you make this decision.
Detailing out a comprehensive guide to choosing a platform is way beyond the scope of this post, but I thought I'd quickly jot down some real issues I had to consider when we chose Kaseya to run our KitRx product – an MSP offering that specifically targets the needs of small business with less than a 50 nodes.

Issue One – Vendor Attention to Detail:

Most of the salespeople that contacted me after my initial enquiry tried in vain to explain in any convincing way, why their product was technically capable under all conditions. All, except the hatchet team from N-Able, were at least able to convince me that their product could possibly work in a perfect world, but only Justin at Kaseya took the time to show me what would happen when the shit-hit-the-fan.

Luckily for me, he had actually worked at an MSP in a past life and had a unique view into how it all worked or didn't work. The reason I single out N-Able is because after placing their first call four days before the end of their sales QTR, they (unbelievably) barely spent any time describing the features of the product. A tag team of Tom and Jerry (not their real names although I actually would have rather dealt with Tom and Jerry) then spent the next four days harassing me or anyone else they could get a hold of in the organization, in a wholly unprofessional attempt to "close" us at any cost. At one point three people left a total of seven messages in one day. I literally had to threaten a Blackwater style execution to ward them off. Anyway, just please make sure your Vendor can explain how their system functions when your customers dog chews the router to shreds. The lesson here is to provide a specific technical framework of issues for the vendor to address and a code of conduct.

Issue Two - How do I get out if I need to - without getting buried?

Although you may feel compelled to present yourself as a highly successful business owner that has more resources than Larry Page and Sergey Brin combined - DON'T 'cause (Um) you DON'T.

Most successful Enterprise software salespeople are experts at using any detail you may inadvertently provide them about your business against you. Be sure to keep any company confidential information especially the number of customers and annual revenue to yourself. The reason I bring this up is that MSP platform vendors lock you into term based sales agreement that are based upon the number of purchased licenses - used or unused. Their goal is to sell you a lot more licenses than you need by convincing you that by paying for them now - they'll be cheaper in the long term. Granted that makes sense to a point, but moving to the MSP model is fraught with unknowns and you could get completely hosed. You end up deferring large payments to a future time possibly causing a scenario in which you could be overpaying for years - a fact that will eat into your profits or even potentially put you out of business. These guys are not fucking around so be careful.

So to reiterate - Providing any ammunition to this machine gun will hurt you!

Once you have decided on the number of licenses you will need, make sure you fully understand what you're in for and project a negative scenario on how you will get out of the agreement without going broke!

Issue Three - Price:

So Sergey, you've got $20 Billion in the bank but guess what! The Bank manager seems to have lost your deposit for a half Billion or so. Therefore, notwithstanding that bustard’s direct attempt at undermining your fiscal stature, the truth remains that we all have to consider price when making any decision. One thing that never ceases to blow my gaud of my shoulders is that MSP platform Vendors will expect you to spend well in excess of your annual sales revenue for their software. They do this with a straight face especially now that they believe you hobnob with the Googles - unbelievable. Be aware that price is NOT the reason to make a purchase. Cheap is bad - value is good but I'll let you figure this out yourself.

Issue Four - Flexibility:

When you build your framework for technical resilience and make damn sure you consider key criteria - Flexibility. Software Product Management is a technical discipline created specifically for geniuses who are capable of bridging marketing and in-the-trenches know how - a dangerous combination for us folks. In the case of MSP platforms, developing a full enough feature set out of the box which can cover all the requirements for managing I.T in multiple organizations is impossible. I'm not kidding when I say this - it is impossible and dare to argue this point with me at your peril! No don't worry I'm a softy :-) Anyway, most MSP Product Managers do a great job at covering the necessary sales points when created features and releases, but only a very select few have the forethought to build in enough flexibility to make these features work outside of a perfect demo like scenario.

Case in point - Creating Monitor and Alerts Sets are highly complex and consist of understanding which specific Services and Events the system should watch for in order for it to generate an effective alert and/or an adequate response to a particular problem. You don't have to be a statistical genius to understand how many combinations are possible - many thousands of initial possibilities which will change for each individual system configuration - combining to become an unimaginable number. Therefore, to mitigate this issue the platform must have the ability to extract live information from a particular system - For example which Services are running and allow you to use an open scripting platform to architect a response. Without this you might as well buy GoToMyPC and resell it as your MSP Platform of choice. Kaseya kills it as a scripting platform but on the flip side you'd better know your shit to get the full benefit.

Issue Five - Process Integration

In all seriousness, as you grow this will become the bone of your contention unless you address it now. MSP Platforms fall short of providing proper scheduling, CRM and financial/billing integration. They do this because it's really not their job. If you are planning on staying small, keeping your processes simple make sense. But if you are considering fast growth be sure to ask about what partnering solutions your platform vendor offers which could assist you in closing the Service/Sales loop efficiently.

Symantec Cooperates, Competes With MSP Partners

2007-10-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

I have just finished reading another great post by Joe Panettieri of MSPMentor, my new favorite MSP Industry online blog/publication. Joe speaks to Symantec's forthcoming production release of the SaaS product called Symantec Protection Network (SPN), which should be clearly differentiated from it's existing Managed Security Services (MSS) Managed Security product targeting larger Enterprises. This time one hopes Symantec is able to get the branding clearer, as the term Managed Security Services or MSS is actually being used by no less that five of it's direct competitors. No fear though, Joe should keep us up to speed on the developments as they happen, so be sure to subscribe to MSPMentor.

This scenario seems to play nicely into the discussion started in my previous post relating to the development of the MSP SAas channel by Vendors. My hope is that their marketing message will effectively tout the benefits of using MSP's and their SaaS services. [read Joe's full post here]

Business Justification for Managed Services - Is it Real?

2007-10-01T10:57:00.001-07:00

One of the challenges we face as an MSP is the ability to justify the Managed Services business and associate it to the actual current market conditions. Well, of course recurring streams of revenue are a big step forward but it's not enough to justify the major upfront investment required. Not only is this important when building a business plan for our internal use, but also vital if you're trying to win over potential investors to help cover the costs of migrating to the MSP model. In my previous post, I spoke about how none of the industry types seem to be equipped to help in this regard, and it seems to be up you to figure this out. I did find a consulting report (somewhat roughly edited) that I have made available here which helps somewhat but is short on specifics.

In fact, when evaluating platforms I had asked Justin Ramsey at Kaseya for industry data such as market size data and received nothing in response, even after a few follow up emails. This was surprising and definitely gave some food for thought. When spending $132,000 on software, you'd expect that vendors would have some sort of business justification available for us would you not? I really am not sure if the reason for this was that there is no data available, or the data they do have applies only to their customers? (being MSP's). So the question remains whether the market for MSP's is real and if so, what is the market opportunity?

If you've every attempted to gather any research data on the MSP marketplace, one fact that becomes decidedly clear is that the MSP "bubble" (and I'll continue to call it that until industry proves me otherwise) is built upon consumption of products and services by potential MSP's and not by the actual end consumer of the MSP's offering - our customers. In other words, most of the investment in our space is currently going to software vendors who are either intrigued by the SAas model (such as AV vendors, security vendors and such) and it's associated lower cost structures, traditional hardware vendors and the MSP platform vendors themselves who are pushing the channel into the managed-services space because of its fat margins, scalability and appeal to customers of all sizes. It's an apt replacement for hardware and software product sales, whose margins are sinking into the low single digits.

Therefore, their success depends entirely on their ability to first, develop an effective channel to market by encouraging service providers to migrate en-masse to the MSP model and second, to make sure that the end consumer of their products either buy solutions from this channel or continue to buy direct or through traditional channels. They are understandably concerned that they don't cannibalize from their existing markets and therefore may have less interest in promoting the MSP market to anyone that is not an MSP in order to avoid this cannabilization.

To a marketing expert this strategy makes perfect sense as developing dual sales streams that are independent and not co-dependent, makes their businesses more capable of weathering market changes. However, by taking a less macro and a more nuanced approach, they would realize that without marketing targeted to the end consumer of any type of MSP product or service, they leave the job to the MSP himself - a terrible strategy for so many reasons.

When an MSP approaches a new customer with the concept of purchasing managed services, we first have to explain to them what Managed Services actually is and then sell our flavor of managed services. We can usually knock 'em dead selling ourselves but getting over the education part is tough. You see folks, the fact is that the I.T services market is already commoditized by the mostly unsophisticated participants in the market, and our customers are seeing it every day and that molds their perceptions - The guys down the street who quit his Help Desk job last week; the Computer Repair Franchisor, Geek Squad ad and of course my favorite target - Onforce, are all responsible. I've linked to their site in the hopes it will cause a DOS attack not because I want to drive any traffic I assure you :-).

Therefore, unless the MSP Vendors do something about it by counteracting this reality, we're going to continue to struggle uphill. This conceptual sale requires more resources than we have available and also why would a prospect take our word for it anyway?

IBM's highly successful channel strategy, puts millions of marketing dollars into making sure the end consumer of the product or service knows that it's OK to buy from their small channel partners, and that they will be supported by IBM. I see none of that personality in the MSP context. Most of the case studies that tout MSP success, which I have read anyway , remain in geographic areas that have a high concentration of wealth. For example small finance firms or law firms in NYC or LA, who have the resources and are able easily justify the "expense" associated with the "new" model due to their high availability and efficiency requirements. All without any industry education!

MSP's Are Our Customers Being Educated?

2007-09-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

We've been marketing Managed IT Services at EveryMethod KitRx for long enough now to get an idea of what the general small business population is feeling about Managed Services (MSP). Initially we approached the market with the assumption that no-one really understood the concepts and therefore the true value of an MSP and that we would have to sift through the propspects to find the early adopters and price accordingly . We hoped that eventually the flush industry would take the time to educate the ultimate consumer of the service, and we would be able to take advantage of that opportunity as it presented itself. NOT EVEN! With so much marketing effort being put forth by MSP Platform Vendors, Analysts, Technology media and Bloggists - the truth is that none of this is being directed to the end consumer. No branding, no education, No NADA! This leaves us completely alone in the effort to generate interest in our product, an impossible task with our limited budgets, time and exorbitant monthly MSP platform payments. There is no doubt in my mind, that this recent increase in platform sales reported by Kaseya etc. is fueling a "balloon" with limited pressure release. Meaning that even though there are obviously tons of customers around who should pay an MSP vs a break-fix, we will all go out of business waiting. CAN WE GET SOME HELP HERE PLEASE - unbelievable!

MSPs TELL YOUR CLIENTS TO RYMSLA! - READ YOUR M%$# F 'NG SLA

2007-08-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

One of the most challenging situations you will encounter as a new IT Managed Service Provider will be figuring out how to address your clients who are pushing the limits of the defined level of service you are obligated or willing to provide. I have written extensively about the level of service provided to your clients by using a tight SLA, but what isn't addressed is the ways you go about enforcing the clauses in your SLA when they are being conveniently ignored, without leaving a bad taste in your clients mouth.

It would seem that none of these operational details are included when engaging a consultant or in discussions with your "trusted advisor" or MSP Platform Vendor. The answer as to why this is not addresses properly, is most likely due to the fact the very few of the folks engaged in these discussions have any experience in running a small business, never mind a successful MSP. They talk a good game but when asked these types of 'real guidance needed" questions, the answers they provide fall way short of the mark. Another question in the same realm can include "What do I do to compensate my engineers who will lose most of their on-site revenue?". I have never received anything but lip service on that one.

Scenario:. Human nature for what it is often forces many people to have selective memory with regards to inconvenient truths. There is no better example of this when dealing with the expectations of an MSP customer where so many difficult-to- comprehend details are relevant. Most of these expectations are unintentional, and are caused by external pressures from bosses or co-workers and veiled in "favor" terms. But some are just plain manipulative.

In June this year we had a typical 6 week sale cycle will a real estate company considering our "localsourcing" option in choosing a new IT provider for their networks and systems. We had numerous discussions and provided them when in-depth documentation of what we will provide. This included marketing materials and an incredibly detailed SLA (an example is available for download here) with a detailed "in plain English section" to summarize. One important criteria in the SLA is that no phone calls to our Engineering staff are allowed even during coverage hours and all correspondence was to to be done using our easy-to-use ticketing system or by email. Another requirement was a drop dead date of 45 days as to when their network infrastructure was to be ungraded due to it's marginal state. They read and accepted the SLA and contract and each time we followed up they were happy with the service. After 45 days we started bugging them about bringing in the SonicWall TZ and migrating them to a more robust configuration. The response was we can't do that now and maybe in September/October. Effectively, we're being told to fuck off and stop harassing them.

Suddenly, after using our ticketing system for two months, we started receiving calls directly to our staff for minor and major issues which did not include the only exception to this clause, a full network outage. Our Engineering staff are not equipped to push back on these calls, for a good reason. We chose not to provide them with this option because they may not be equipped with all the details necessary to argue the point and it could cause an issue with the customer. It is my job as the Jefe to make such calls and they can be difficult and sensitive. So based on the response to the network issue, I chose to let it ride - Mistake #1 and #2.

The next day I received a call from the person in charge to say she was very upset about the delay in response to the network problem which in hindsight (so she was told by the Network provider) she determined was caused by a Spambot or a virus flooding their network. Why had we not seen this, she asked?

We had received the message the day before and had called her back two hours later, well inside of our required response times. So based on the assumption that no AV notifications had been logged, we asked her to check her T1 provider first for potential causes of the slowdown. BTW our response to a ticket would have been much faster! We never heard back from her but after an on-site visit it ended up being caused by a faulty network card and not a virus. So with an unmanaged marginal router in place with no Intrusion Prevention or SMTP filtering we had no way of picking this issue up anyway. Mistake #3 (we should have forced an upgrade in the beginning) We were now being held accountable for a shitty network we never put in, and a "slow response" to her needs which was well without the required response under the SLA which she signed.

Frustrating to say the least, but calling her up and telling her to Read Her Motherfucking SLA (RYMSLA) is not the best way to deal with this situation, although it is something you desperately want to do under the circumstances. Is the customer always right? Hell no! And are you equipped to call them on it? Hell No! In the following posts I'll give you a few pointers about some way to deal with this, now that I've had time to think about it.

Kaseya Is Better Than the Rest, But Caveat Emptor

2007-08-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

It's my own opinion that Kaseya's product is the best platform for the technical capable MSP, but Kaseya's ability to prepare potential MSP's to the risk and pain of migration is limited and it's not alone. The marketing team's real job is to level the immediate path for their sales force during the decision process and no more.

This means that in order to counter more and more potential customers objections about the difficulty of moving existing customers to the MSP model, platform vendors throw the Education and Trusted Advisor card. Education and training in a profit center for all MSP platform vendors, as it is for most software vendors but it's unique to this industry that they offer business training. Why you say? Because of their experience with how hard the transition is for us, particularly with tech minded small business owners saddled with existing overhead and process, high existing work loads, and now $2,500 or more per month in software costs and loss of on-site engineering revenue and other issues.

Their job is to sell not to protect us - I only object to Trojan horse tactics. So again, take what you can from all training, marketing and other resources you get from anywhere, but before you spend money on training or consultants that promise you the moon, make damn sure said consultants RUN OR HAVE RUN A SUCCESSFUL MSP FOR (fill in your own brand of deity here) SAKE! Why would you want to hire a consultant that doesn't actually have in-the-trenches experience in the area they profess to be experts in? Leave hiring clueless consultants to IBM Global Services - their customers can afford it - The last time I checked, I cannot!

Read:

Seven traps to avoid falling into as a prospective new MSP

Microsoft Office for the Rest of Us

2007-08-12T18:24:00.001-07:00

You know guys, I was perusing around the blogosphere and picked up on an interesting article Re: MS Office and Google Apps written by a guy named Michael Gilronan at this company called Knowledge Management Associates in Boston. Anyway, he was responding to a White paper written by Limit One comparing the merits of it's service re: Google Apps and taking exception to Microsoft Portal Server's complexity etc. It's a story I've heard over and over but it was only when I was reviewing one of my larger clients (Sullivan Family of Companies aka. Foodland, Beard Papa, Food Pantry) Enterprise Architecture that I realized how easy it is for us in the industry to forget how the "rest of world" uses MS Office and what a security and management nightmare it has become.

These guys are focused on SMB in the real sense, not the IBM definition. Yes, contrary to popular belief in the the halls of the glass tower (your?), there are ten's of thousand's of small business in the USA who don't have on staff IT and have a single SMB Server if at all. With no training nor any knowledge of the Sharepoint services which they have had installed on their behalf, most aren't using them. A smart marketing move on Microsoft's part, allowing them to be included in that grossly WSJ inflated number.

Secondly, true collaboration never happens using fat client Office. Versioning solutions are complex and security problems abound with xls and docs all over the planet in temp folders or saved locally. I run a feet-on-the-street IT MSP which serves this market so I'm closely familiar with how many valuable documents of financial data are just left lying in inboxes and temp folders on someone's Spyware infested home computer.

Microsoft attempt at securing this data using their flavor of DRM is a joke, with no external collaboration easy or even possible. Pour out the Kool Aide my friend, Google's on the right track.

How to move your existing "break-fix" customers to IT Managed Services

2007-08-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult things you'll do as a company when moving from the break-fix model to managed services, is to convince your existing customers that they should join you or even deciding whether they are suitable to be managed by your new company. Although you may believe fervently that you can provide this service for all of your existing customers, a good majority of them won't want to pay you for something they perceive to have low value or more likely, they won't have the "personality profile" to fit your service offering.I describe this in depth in my posting 7 traps for prospective managed service providers.

The first thing to do is to define your customers in groups.

1. Residential - Get rid of them (I don't need to tell you why). Geek Squad has 10,000 "engineers" so send them there. They have no value to you as an MSP.
2. IT-Dependent: These customers understand the lost productivity in dollars per hour. They allocate budgets to IT, refresh their network, and tend to be loyal but are demanding. These are perfect for your new endevour.
3. IT-Aware: Often good prospects as they have functions to allow for continuing their business function when their systems are down. They usually have no specific budgets, but are willing to drop some cash on IT and can be loyal if you're good at what you do.
4. IT-Tolerant: Most small companies with under 10 employees (especially in hard goods manufacturing or wholesale) fit into this category. They are fair to poor prospects, as they view IT as an expense and try to minimize the expense as much as possible. They choose to be technically naive and tend to constantly shop for the lowest price for everything.

If you're a individual or a small service provider, based upon the breakdown you'll do I have to guess that the majority or your existing business customers will fit into the IT-Tolerant category. They do business with you because they silently think you're a sucker - You've always under priced your service and been highly responsive, while allowing them to get away with murder. By murder, I mean calling you at all hours; spending the time to configure systems for nothing or providing valuable consulting while allowing them to buy all their products at discount outlets and many other egregious mistakes in judgment on your behalf. Well, it's time to change this approach. There is a good reason why most of these companies have been through multiple providers before you arrived, and who most likely shared the common believe that each other were total a'holes.

First and foremost, you must sit down and explain to each and every customer what your plans are in detail. Prepare your SLA's and marketing materials beforehand by paying an expert to design them. To get a logo, a website and a brochure may cost you a few thousand dollars, but it'll be worth it. Anyway you don't have time to do it yourself.

Give your customers a specific time-frame to decide what they want to do, and if they are resistant initially, don't cave. You've been caving for years and it's now time to man up and start a real business. Don't be an a'hole but explain to them they you cannot continue to do what you're doing because you'll go out of business. In short, if you're going to commit to them, they should do the same.

You can demo your MSP software and explain how efficiently you will be able to be and that waiting for a response is a thing of the past. If they still say no, you should then walk away after your time-frame is up. You are not obligated to provide them with a "free" transition plan or a recommendation of any kind- they clearly made the decision to bail on you and now they must live by that decision. Always, and I mean always, release their admin passwords and other proprietary information to them. This way you'll keep your integrity and not act like some "old schooler".

Now it's time to look for new more appropriate customers. And those customers that embrace your new endeavor need to be pampered and treated with respect. They are paying you a consistent fee and it's your obligation to follow through. They are the key to the holy grail of MSP's - recurring revenue.

Dell to buy Silverback from MSP Alliance blogger

2007-08-08T16:53:00.000-07:00

From Charles Weaver, the blogger at the MSPAlliance. I appreciate this guys general frankness about the industry , even though industry groups always make me a little suspicious. Anyhow, Charles speaks to the the impact of Dell's planned purchase of Silverback, a provider of MSP platforms. It certainly makes sense that Dell would go down this road and it will help get this style of IT support into the mainstream mindset. My opinion continues to be "Home computing and MSP's don't mix" but we'll see if they take it into that space although my assumption is that it won't.

"First, I've already received a lot of feedback from the MSPs out there saying that Dell had better not use this acquisition to compete with the channel in a managed services play. Let's hope that they read this blog first before doing something like that. Buying a company like SilverBack will not confer upon Dell any instant integrity or clout within the MSP community. Only good channel and business practices can accomplish that goal."

I think the match makes a lot of sense from a technical perspective. Dell sells a lot of hardware. Buying a company like SilverBack allows Dell to more effectively manage that hardware and could help Dell really bolster its channel credibility by developing existing Dell resellers into managed service providers. Doing so, at least in theory, will mean more Dell hardware being sold. It will also mean that same hardware being managed by professional (we can only hope) MSPs translating into greater customer satisfaction and security.

From a marketing perspective, this deal will likely have a very positive and long term effect for the managed service providers. It isn't everyday that a household name like Dell acquires a company that is so steeped in managed services history as SilverBack. My personal hope is that this deal will bring greater recognition and attention to the MSP community and really solidify the name of MSPs and managed services in the mainstream business community.

7 Traps For Prospective Managed Service Providers

2007-08-08T11:00:00.001-07:00

If you're a VAR who is deciding to take the leap into Managed Services, you are faced with numerous opportunities and many challenges ahead. Having spent the last 6 months at KitRx doing exactly this, I have an interesting perspective of what you should and should not do, as well as a few pointers which you can use to set your own expectations about how easy you may think this is. I must preface this by saying that even though I sound a little negative or skeptical, it's not that I don't believe the MSP model actual works. It does - I just believe that you need to do it with intelligence. The longer you wait to do it, the harder it will be. Here are 7 traps for prospective Managed Service Providers.

Trap #1 Blowing your wad: No matter what the sales guy at your prospective MSP platform software says, only buy the minumum number of licenses you need to get going. Most MSP platforms, including our choice Kaseya, have a unique method to bury you under a mountain of debt before you can afford it. Most use a licensing method, similar to leasing or much like perpetual renting, which you effectively own nothing for a long time or possibly never. Starting your new endeavor by paying $2,500 a month for software licenses which you don't own, which you are not going to be using, and before you have a single customer signed is a trap. They do this because they are trying to pay their bills by selling you very expensive software by disabling your brain function for long enough for your heart to take over your mind.

Some vendors will even hard sell you on an integrated solution which involves shipping you an entire Server, bundled with their software for a large up-front fee ($30,000) and annual maintenance fees - leaving you to do the heavy lifting. Although most will give you an opt-out clause, they will try every trick in the book can to keep you in it if you decide to take advantage of this clause. Make the choice of functionality and cost up-front, because by opting out too early you run the risk of losing all your hard work in customizing and scripting the software - it's a trap, so read the fine print so to speak. Remember, these guys need to earn a living and need to close deals to pay their bloated overhead and your needs are secondary although the better salespeople will give you the opposite impression. Kudos to Kaseya for having Justin Ramsey on staff, but they still gotta earn a living, normally at your expense.

Trap #2: Thinking you'll keep all your customers: Another trick MSP software vendors will use is to make you believe what you have today, is what you'll keep tomorrow. Hell no!
Trust me the reason why most of your customers are doing business with you is because you're a pushover. I'm sorry but it's true - Imagine them being able to call in an expert at a moments notice and have you respond immediately without any commitment on their behalf. Often paying you a $100 for your troubles after a quick fix. Yikes! What a deal they get! It's no wonder lawyers ask for retainers.

The day you try and level the playing field and nicely notify them that you're going to charge them a minimum $500 a month for access to your genius - whoosh!! They disappear out the door looking for the next sucker to meet their unfair needs, and there are always other suckers out there I promise you - Not before they ask you to detail out your transition plan.

Yes, the vision of having a 100 of your existing customers paying you $500 a month is an attractive proposition - it just won't happen! You'll lose 80% of your existing customers or you'll try and mix and match and still lose 50%. Charging some customers monthly and leave others to call you reactively, is a bad idea because you'll have an SLA with some and not with others (more later). It's a major dilemma but it'll be worked out in say 6 months or so. Do you threaten cut them off or do you sack up and actually do it? One thing I do know is that you absolutely should dump your residential customers. MSP's and Home computing don't match, no matter what the genius calling you 3 times a day tells you.

Trap #3: Creating a "NOC": Dude, you're a small company and so are your customers. They don't expect you to be able to afford a NASA control center. I assure you that running your well configured server, behind a robust firewall, using a business class of cable internet will be plenty. Especially when you're starting up! Why spend a gazillion dollars on unnecessary services when you could be using that money to feed yourself and your employee(s). When you grow your business to a 1000 managed devices then do it.

Trap #4: Do it on your own: Unless you plan on splitting yourself in two, it's not possible to watch over your customers systems and be available for on-site services. Firstly, on-site may drive your revenue initially until you get a critical mass of managed customers, and secondly you'll find yourself being much more productive doing this stuff from your office or home and being available at a moments notice for your customers. Additionally, I don't remember the last time I was able to take a vacation on the break-fix cycle, and the whole point to of this is too get back your life and make a few bucks doing it. Get a partner or use a contractor and split the revenue. I assure you that this is about improving your efficiency and adding way more customers that you'd be able to handle alone out in the field. Give yourself at least 6 months to get this all squared away.

Trap #5: It'll happen overnight: The analysts have been touting the merits of the VAR/ISV to MSP transitions since 2001, and there are carcasses of hundred's of small companies that listened to this crapola scattered all along this highway of doom. You're starting a new business from scratch with a small leg up on people that are actually starting from scratch. Make sure you have the funds to cover you for at least 6 months of less income than you had before. Plan for the worst and you won't be sorry.

Trap #6: Hire a consultant to make you a Millionaire: There are a few well known consultants who are trolling for you and they're good at it. They are marketing experts and they're here to tell you bout one simple fact which can be paraphrased as "You're a dope and should stick to what you do well and leave the marketing to the experts". They tie themselves to the MSP software vendors who are using them to promote the concept of Managed Services, and in turn they use the MSP software vendors to get at you. Well, you're not a dope 'cause you did the math!

Paying them $3,000 for a book or a guide of pointers or gaggle of letter templates will not make you into a dynamo salesperson if you're not one today. Granted, a well written letter to your customers, a nice brochure or a professional website will definitely help you grow your business but this is something you can hire a pro to do for you. The unfortunate fact is that they've managed to find a few suckers who are prepared to tell the world and you that they became successful because of it. If you believe them then I have this bottle of stuff for you to buy that'll make your dick hard, rewire your house and wash your car. All for less than the cost of having your ex. wife whacked.

Trap #7: Not using an SLA: The Service Level Agreement is what you're selling. It tells your customers how, when, where, what and how, in minute detail. If you sell a fixed price managed service without a solid SLA you're shooting yourself squarely in the foot with a Barrett .50 caliber snipers rifle, while you swallow a roadside bomb. They'll be picking up the pieces of your business in Beirut. The reason is that when you tell someone that they are able to contact you, for a fixed price, with any system problem they have at anytime without detailed restrictions, they will do just that. Is this not something that people have been doing to you for years? I know you could never figure out a way to stop them from calling from about their neighbors Maxtor external hard drive failure at 11pm on a Saturday night, without being a complete a'hole. Now you have this opportunity to put it in black and white. Here are a few examples of SLA's for you to download in case you need them. Leave comments, as you wish

KitRx MSP Challenges Intro

2007-06-30T15:55:00.001-07:00

Other than a few extra grey hairs and other discomforts of different kinds, the transformation of EveryMethod from a traditional IT service company into KitRx - a Managed IT services company - is well on it's way. Everyone in the company has been reeling from the death of our much loved co-worker and close friend, Cornelius Pickering, to a random accident. This devastating loss has tended to make everyone take stock and show a renewed interest in their personal and work life. I'm confident that it will be a positive experience for all when all is said and done - it certainly reinforces my philosophy of Yourself, Family and Work in that order. Although at face value that may sound selfish but I firmly believe if you are fulfilled as a human being you'll be that much more productive as an employee. We love you Cornelius!

In the next few entries I'll be describing the areas of concern and attempt to loosely summarize our daily work life, in the hope that it may benefit someone else in our position.

KitRx Developments - IT Managed Services for Small Business

2007-06-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

Halfway through its first quarter, EveryMethod's KitRx crew is moving into high gear. CEO Jon Kessel announced to the team that Kaseya's new module, which has excellent new security features, has been obtained and that all clients will benefit; Kaseya's new module should make the platform even more attractive to growing businesses.

In addition:

- Kessel appeared on Bob Ryan’s BizTalk radio show (KCEO) and had host Ryan marveling at the logic, strength and simplicity of KitRx
- Kessel appeared on George Chamberlain's "Money in the Morning" show on AM600 KOGO

Visit KitRx at http://www.kitrx.com/

A Small Business Approach To Computer Downtime

2007-06-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

From DTG Magazine and the User Group Network comes a downtime loss calculator and a clear analysis of small business computer management options. Although the remote service cited is quite different from the remote monitoring and automated maintenance features of KitRx, the general argument remains strong – subscribed remote services are the most efficient way to go for growing businesses.

By Aidan McDermott

If it's true that the backbone of any small business is its employees, then I believe it's fair to say that the muscle of many small businesses would have to be their computers. Plain and simple, business today is performed electronically. Whether it's a day-trader trading stocks over the internet, a lawyer, physician or other professional looking up data, or a shopkeeper tracking prices and sales, computers are often an essential "tool of their trades".
Continue reading by clicking the more button below!

In fact, in the majority of professions where a computer is used, it is often not possible to effectively perform the job role without it. Sure the day-trader could continuously call their broker every five minutes for stock quotes, but in practical terms their business is reduced to a standstill. An analogy would be a carpenter trying to work without his hammer.

However, when you consider complexity, comparing a PC to a hammer is kind of like comparing a space shuttle to a bicycle. The average computer is a marvel of complexity. In fact, when we break it down, we're not even talking about a single device. Computer systems are made up of a collection of hardware and software components, usually made by different manufacturers, working together for a common purpose. And it follows simple logic; the more complex the system, the more that can go wrong. All it often takes for a business to come grinding to a halt is for one of those components to malfunction.

Computer downtime

Computer downtime can result from numerous circumstances. Viruses and spyware are waiting to infect your PC through the internet, email and even commonly used applications. Internet hacking, identity theft and other cyber crimes are all on the rise. Compatibility issues and missing or corrupt drivers plague both hardware and software alike. And problems with the installation and use of everyday programs can cause no end of headaches.
While the above points can raise a number of questions in the average small businesspersons mind about the costs associated with these downtimes and what can be done to minimize them, straight answers are often not easily found.

In this article, we will attempt to analyze these questions and determine the best approach for professionals and small businesses to take in dealing with computer downtime.

Options for dealing with downtime

Questions surrounding downtime related costs have become such a hot topic on the Internet that an online calculator has been developed by NTA Monitor Ltd. to assist individuals and companies in determining the cost of computer downtime (You can try it out at nta-monitor.com/services/downtimecalc.htm). While this calculator can be quite handy, it is often not readily apparent what numbers to use for "total downtime" or "labor costs". So lets just do some calculations of our own to determine the total overall costs that a professional or small business faces due to downtime and see if we can determine the best approach to resolving downtime related incidents.

The first and hardest question to answer is "how long is an average downtime incident for a small business?" Well, I'm afraid that there is no easy answer to this. While the average time is completely dependant on the nature of the problem, for this example we can piece together a typical scenario of events to create our timeframe.
When a typical computer issue or problem arises, there are a number of avenues that a small business owner can take to see it resolved. As most small businesses can obviously not afford to pay for a full or even part-time IT staff, the "do it yourself" method is often first employed. Resources such as friends, family and the internet are consulted for answers and some trial and error approaches, such as using generic "fix all" programs, are tried. That failing, a local computer service shops can be called for on-site or drop-off support. Or as a new and increasingly popular alternative, a remote service provider can be used.

Doing it yourself

Depending on the user's knowledge of computers, the "do it yourself" approach can sometimes work and considering the time spent doing research, trial and error fixes, etc. the average issue can be resolved in as little a an hour or two. But sadly, more often than not, the time spent does not result in a solution and it is added to the overall incident time. So to make our calculations simpler, let's deduce that on average the amount of self help time spent saves as much time as it looses and instead we will focus on three remaining options; on-site, drop-off and remote support. We will base our calculations on an eight hour work day.

On-site & Drop-Off services

While being a more expensive option, on-site services can often result in a quicker resolution time than drop-off service. Usually a technician can be scheduled for "same day" or "next day" service. On average this results in a total downtime of around eight hours.

A small business can save some money on the hourly rate it is charged by choosing to drop off their PC for service instead of having a technician come to them. While some service depots have longer waiting lists that result in the business owner losing their PC for numerous days or even weeks, shopping around for service usually results in an average turn around time of two to three days. Factoring in the time spent disconnecting and reconnecting your system, as well as the time spent dropping it off and picking it up, it's reasonable to say that the average downtime for drop-off service is in the neighborhood of 24 business hours.

Remote Services

Finally, there is a lesser known option for small businesses that has grown out of advances in "desktop sharing" technologies. Professional remote computer service and support technicians can access computers directly through their internet connections to resolve computer issues.
Michael Hovila, the owner of AdvanceServe Remote PC Services (http://www.remotepcservices.com/) informs us that "remote computer repair and support services are available to any computer that is connected to the Internet, anywhere in North America; It can be from home or business, a hotel suite or while telecommuting, or even through local wireless 'hotspots'. We can even connect though your home or corporate firewall... Then just sit back and watch as our remote technician controls your mouse and keyboard to diagnose and fix your computer problems or to demonstrate how to use or configure common applications."

The hourly rate for remote support usually falls somewhere between that of local drop off and onsite service rates, while the downtime is reduced to an average of two hours per incident as a result of not having to wait for service. However, not all issues can be resolved remotely. Physical problems such as hardware failures still need to be dealt with by a "hands on" technician.

Calculating the costs

So which option is best for the small business owner? Let's do some quick and simple math to find out. Based on average "resolution time" claims from numerous sources, I have decided to use two hours as the mean resolution time for these calculations.
For onsite service, rates are charged either on a "per hour" or "per incident" basis. Since we are calculating "per hour", I compared the rates of four leading national on-site service providers and worked out an average of $100 US/hour for onsite support. So the total cost for a two hour service call ends up being $200.

Next we examine the cost of the drop-off service option. Prices in this category vary a little more depending on the service provider but a comparison of two national providers and two "mom and pop" local service depots resulted in an average hourly rate of $60 US per hour. Based on our two hour resolution time the labor cost for this option is $120.

Finally there is the remote support option. An average comparison of four trusted national providers resulted in a rate of $80 per hour. For a two hour resolution time the total cost is $160.

But we're not done yet. Now we have to factor in the loss of wages that has resulted from the down time. 2003 Bureau of Labor statistics suggest that individuals who use computers for a living make an average of $36.20 an hour in wages and benefits. So using that figure as the "per hour" loss due to downtime for a single computer, we can calculate and compare the total cost of downtime for each of our three timelines.

Option One - Onsite ServiceTotal Downtime: 8 hoursLost wages: $36.20x8=$289.60Cost of Service: $200Total Cost of Downtime: $489.60 per PC
Option Two - Drop Off ServiceTotal Downtime: 20 hoursLost Wages: $36.20x20=$724Cost of Service: $120Total Cost of Downtime: $844 per PC
Option Three - Remote ServiceTotal Downtime: 2 hoursLost Wages: $36.20x2=$72.40Cost of Service: $160Total Cost of Downtime: $232.40 per PC

Well, based on total costs the hands down choice appears to be "Remote Computer Support".

However, there are a couple additional factors that should be examined a little closer before making a final decision. As mentioned earlier, remote support has its limitations. The primary two being, the issue cannot be fixed remotely if it is a result of a physical problem with a component, and the computer being serviced must have working internet access.

To determine how the first limitation factors in, we need to determine what percentage of computer problems are hardware vs. software related. Vendor data shows that software issues are actually 40 times more common than hardware issues. Therefore, in theory, when the computer can still boot up and access the internet, around 97% of problems can be solved remotely.

The best approach

I now believe we have enough data to make a well rounded decision regarding the best approach for professionals and small businesses when dealing with computer downtime.

Step Zero: The reason I've added a "step zero" is that an age old saying still applies to modern problems; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take the time to have routine computer maintenance performed on your PC. There are a number of great "self help" guides to keeping your PC running smoothly. Or consider signing up for a routine maintenance plan by a professional remote provider if you are either not comfortable with, or do not have the time to maintain your own computers. But no amount of maintenance can prevent the inevitable, so when downtime does occure.
Step one: If you are reasonably knowledgeable in computers and you can still access the internet, it can't hurt to take a few minutes to search online or with your peers for answers. If the answer is not apparent within fifteen minutes of searching, there is a good chance the solution is not simple enough for the average computer user to solve and professional assistance should be considered.
Step two: To save time and money, your next best step is to try a remote service provider. They can often resolve your issue quickly and get you back to making money instead of spending it. Even though they cannot resolve physical problems, you will still come out much farther ahead on average by trying a remote technician first.
Step three: In the few cases where the issue ends up being hardware related, your next best choice would be the onsite provider. Many remote providers have local affiliates who they can recommend you to and can provide you with diagnostic information to pass on to the local technician, which may reduce the required support time.

From downtime to uptime

Computers are an essential part of most modern small businesses but when problems occur, the costs associated with them can quickly spiral out of control. However, a quick and well thought out response to computer downtime can save a small business hundreds or even thousands of dollars. I hope this guide will help you to be better prepared when your downtime comes because it's not a matter of if; it's a matter of when.

Evolving Managed Service: Growth For Business Networks and Home Computer Users

2007-05-31T00:34:00.001-07:00

How people tend to their computer networks is constantly evolving in this new century. As computers and networks get more powerful, they get more complex as well, and most small businesses eventually understand that their IT assets require full-time professional attention. The two following pieces from the Web this week demonstrate how pervasive computer issues are for both home users (more than 50 million are hit by viruses, spyware or spam!) and businesses. As the report from India indicates, however, the IT managed service world is rapidly evolving in a way that will only enhance the performance of computer networks and make for more satisfied technology users.

From CEPro

Consumers Will Pay for Managed Services, Research ShowsBy Julie Jacobson
Managed service is a big buzzterm in the commercial IT business. It refers to the ongoing diagnostics, maintenance and other PC/networking services offered by IT providers for a recurring fee.

These providers may charge a regular monthly fee for services such as automatic backup, virus protection and software patches. Or they may sell blocks of time for customers to use their tech support -- on a discounted basis -- as needed. The concept has not yet caught on in the home, but companies like OfficeMax are trying to push it.

Will it catch on? Parks Associates interviewed more than 6,000 North American Internet users to determine how they would buy PC services. The Dallas-based research firm found that approximately two-thirds of consumers prefer ad hoc in-home services versus a consistent monthly subscription for regular IT support.
Approximately 40 percent of consumers would prefer to pay $100 or less per in-home incident.
Still, prospects are high for certain categories of managed services. For example, 8 percent of Internet users are interested in an online storage/backup service, and 20 percent of these high intenders are willing to pay $15 per month for such a service.

Content backup is not the biggest concern for consumers though. Home Internet users are most likely to have home technology problems related to Internet security issues (viruses, spyware and spam). More than 51 million North American households reported such problems.
For most PC-related issues, consumers try to fix the problem themselves, but if that fails, they are most likely to contact their ISP or a friend or family member for technical support.
ISPs and friends/family get a call from 24 percent of PC households when it comes to Internet security, but 12 percent of challenged households did ultimately use a professional service.
For hardware/software issues, ISPs tied with friends and family again, getting the tech-support call from 27 percent of respondents. Professional service providers prevailed 17 percent of the time.

Finally, PC users with networking problems contacted their ISP 34 percent of the time and friends and family 31 percent. Some 15 percent solved the problem (or tried to) with a software fix, but 18 percent gave up and hired a pro.

KitRx Managed IT Services for Small Business

Small Business Solution: LA Times on Hacking Attacks

2007-05-23T18:15:00.001-07:00

Last Tuesday, May 22, the LA Times ran a special section on Small Business Solutions.

A column on data protection by Alana Semuels, "Big firms aren't only ones hit by system hackers. Inadequately protecting sensitive information can invite intruders," should be a wake-up call for any small business owner who doesn't understand the nature of the threats to his company's technology systems.

Semuels scores many good points, including parts on legal requirements on data protection and the true source of most company IT hassles: "70 % of all acts of malfeasance that affect small business can be attributed to an internal problem."

Managed Services Platforms - Partner or perish

2007-05-20T12:53:00.001-07:00

Enuff said! Get on it Kaseya!!!!

clipped from youtube.com

Sun Microsystems MSP offering

2007-05-20T12:50:00.001-07:00

Specifically for their clients but shows some market intention.

clipped from youtube.com

KitRx Reviews SonicWall Partnership

2007-05-20T12:46:00.001-07:00

Its become more important for MSP platforms to provide us with the correct partner integration. Network device monitoring has always been a challenge and this will go a long way in assisting us.

At Ingram Micro’s VentureTech Network show in Montreal earlier this month, N-able and LPI Level Platforms unveiled an API-swapping partnership with Lexmark International that gives them the ability to better manage Lexmark printers, scanners and other output devices.

SonicWall, which ships products already equipped with remote management technology dubbed the Global Management System (GMS), has been hyping the advantage of managed services for some time, said Steve Ryder, president of WAN Strategies, a solution provider in Keene, N.H.

At the last two conferences [SonicWall has] been trying to get partners excited about getting into the managed services space,” said Ryder. “They’re trying to get the channel to go in with the GMS in order to separate the channel from mass marketers like Dell. What SonicWall is trying to do is sell different firewalls to Dell than to partners. Firewalls that work with the GMS are different. It’s an interesting approach to keeping their numbers up.

You may be a victim of software counterfeiting

2006-08-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

If you are familiar with this notice you have become a "victim" of Microsoft's clandestine mechanism to enforce what they call the Windows Genuine Advantage program. The issue is not about forcing people to stop using their software illegally, something we wholeheartedly support, it is the mechanism they use to do it. WGA will bug you incessantly about "becoming legal" with popup's, desktop banner texts, browser helper objects, hidden installs, hidden protected files in system folders and the such. It is not effectively removable.Interestingly enough, these are the identical mechanisms routinely used by Malware/Viruses to infest your system with junk software and hard to remove marketing tools or worse - At the time we found it ironic that while clearly knowing Windows was filled with evolving exploits, Microsoft got into the business of selling tools that protect you from the exact nefarious software attempting to exploit it's own software. All this while being very quiet about fixing these core problems - We now find it doubly hilarious that Microsoft are now actually exploiting their own software vulnerabilities to achieve there own goals. GO FIGURE!
As a side note: It is estimated that this WGA notices have been enabled incorrectly on up to 25% of computers, meaning these systems are legal but for one or more reasons fail the WGA test. Therefore, to fix this issue MS released a product key update tool which you may be able to use to remove this notice.

Anti-Spyware Tools

2006-04-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Spyware is becoming a larger problem with today's day-to-day internet use. Pop-ups, cookies, trackers, browser hijacks, rootkits, virus' and trojans are all too easy to get, and they can slow your computer down to the pace of a snail. Pop-ups are most likely blocked by your browser, if you're using IE6, or Firefox 1.5. If you don't have either of those, I suggest downloading them ASAP. Defending yourself from spyware is far from over though, there is some sites that will still have pop-ups and cookies will still be placed on your computer. The next largest threat of spyware and virus' is downloading free software, not illegal downloads, but free software claiming to rid you of spyware problems, virus problems, or internet speed boosts. Even free software like AOL Instant Messenger and ICQ places a large amount of ad-ware and spyware on your system.

Simple Guidelines to keep your computer running in tip-top shape:
-Never click on pop ups
-If you feel you MUST download something that's free off the internet, use Google to research the program before downloading
-Never download free software in a 'bundle'
-Use alternative programs for spyware infected installs.
-Get CCleaner
-Get Spybot Search & Destroy
-Get Ad-Aware
-Get Hijack-This

Once every two weeks you should do the following:
1) Run CCleaner and remove all temp files, cookies, history, etc...
2) Run Spybot S&D, have it remove all the files it detects, if there is something it cant delete, remember it or write it down.
3) Run Ad-Aware, it'll do the same thing as Spybot and may catch some files that it missed. Remember to keep note of files it cannot remove.
---If there are files you cannot remove Do step 4, If Spybot and Ad-Aware removed everything you should be fine.
4) Run Hijack-This and do a System Scan only (no log) Find the files that Spybot and Ad-Aware couldn't remove and click the checkbox next to them. Then click fix.
5) Double check to make sure the file(s) are removed by doing steps 2-4 again. If they aren't deleted give us a call, as it's probably a trojan virus or advanced spyware.

Now for all those people that use any type of instant messaging that has moderate spyware in the IM program threes some really nice alternatives. The best two are Trillian and GAIM, they are both spyware free and run just as well (if not better) then the main programs. My personal preference is GAIM.
Another common thing to have spyware is media players. If you know what your doing you can avoid getting spyware with media players. The recommended media players that are spyware-free and safe are iTunes and MusicMatch. You can use things like Winamp, Windows Media Player, Real Player, etc...but these programs have a higher chance of getting your computer infected with spyware.