Posted by Dan Rodden on Thu, Mar 15, 2012
Did you ever wish that there was an easy way that you could connect right to your work computer? Do you have the Terminal Server blues because the desktop and the menu layouts seem strange or foreign when you login from home?
Well, if you have a Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 or higher running your network, or are considering the purchase the software in the near future, this capability is already available to you in a secure and centralized manner right out of the box with Windows Small Business Server (although it may not be configured for access from the Internet just yet.)
Remote web workplace is a tool that gives you access to the following primary features from a single web page:
- Remote Workstation access
- Outlook Web Access
- Sharepoint and Company Intranet Access
Let Trigon know if you have a Small Business Server from Microsoft and are not yet able to utilize these capabilities but are interested in pursuing them, whether because your Small Business Server has not been configured or because you have not purchased one yet. Please note that Small Business Server offers a maximum of 75 users, so if your environment is near that size or larger you may want to consider a Remote Desktop Gateway as an alternative. Also, note that Remote Web Workplace is not compatible with the Mac OSX operating system and currently relies on Internet Explorer components to operate, so the solution will not work from a home Mac computer.
Posted by The Blogging Desk on Thu, Jun 16, 2011
CBS Tech Talk:
Google's stripped-down laptop, the Samsung Chromebook Series 5, can be purchased from Best Buy and Amazon. Are you planning on buying it? With headlines suggesting that the Chromebook is "tepid" and "works great only if you're online," leaves many on the fence.
The device (which is priced from $430 to $500) - a bargain compared to MacBooks, which start at $999 - is built and optimized for the Web. It promises a faster, simpler way to surf in a more secure experience.
Dissed by New York Times personal technology columnist David Pogue: "Chromebooks assume that you are online anywhere you go. We are not quite there yet. When you're not online, the chromebook is a three-pound 'paperweight,'" he pointed out in yesterday's column entitled "A Laptop, Its Head in the Cloud."
The future sure is off to a bumpy start.
Google has released their first Chromebook into the wild and the reviews aren't so hot. At least, not for their first stab at things. I question the idea of charging upwards of $500 for a laptop that can only use one application - the browser. You can get much more capable "netbooks" at a lower cost. That's just silliness, Google. For a company to make most of its cash via ads, it's odd that they're fine with Samsung and others to charge so high a starting price for such hardware.
Google and Apple have taken very different stances on where they see the future of computing going. Apple thinks that native Cocoa apps are their vision, while Google is perfectly fine with web apps that include their ads inside of them.
Without being locked into Apple's iOS and Mac operating system, the majority of enterprise users could very well fit into Google's vision of computing, but things haven't started off in an ideal manner.
Posted by Solutions Center on Tue, Dec 15, 2009
Small and Midsized businesses often don't have the resources available to them to allow them to maximize the benefits of their IT systems.
TrigonTechnology, a leader in IT Support in the Philadelphia area, makes available the same IT Support that Fortune 500 Companies receive, to small and midsized organizations.
IT Support for Small to Midsized Organizations is often times handled by small, break-fix shops that don't have solid credentials. With the importance that computers and networks hold in today's business oriented society, it is important to make sure that your computers are optimized for your needs, allowing you to maximize efficiency. Trigon Technology's IT Solutions were designed keeping the needs of small and midsized businesses in mind, and were founded around the idea that they can receive the same high-level-support that larger companies receive.
Trigon's PinnacleCare is a Managed Services program designed specifically for small to midsized businesses that proactively monitors their IT Systems and maximizes business efficiency by keeping everything up and running on a consistent and constant basis. With proactive IT care, your business can reap the benefits of a steady network, and say goodbye to downtime.
For more information on what Trigon can do for you - contact us at
solutions@TrigonIT.com, or by telephone at 1-888-494-Trigon.
Posted by Solutions Center on Fri, Sep 25, 2009
It‘s no secret that the economy is still floundering. It's also no secret that many businesses haven't been able to weather through these tough times. But if you're a small to midsized business owner, we'll let you in on a little secret: if you have an IT Department or if you pay an IT Service on break/fix basis, STOP!
Outsourcing IT will save you money and increase your efficiency!
Trigon Technology, located just outside of Philadelphia offers a complete range of IT Solutions and Services. If you live outside of the Philadelphia area, don't worry! There are plenty of quality IT Solutions Providers all over the country (none as good as we are, of course).
Whether you're located in our area, or anywhere in the United States, find out if your IT Service offers a Managed Services Program. A Managed Services Program, something Trigon particularly excels in, is proactive IT maintenance . If you're business is part of a managed service program, great! You are on the right track.
Anyway, with a proactive IT maintenance system, such as Trigon's PinnacleCare, your IT System will be proactively monitored. And although you'll have to pay a nominal fee each month, managed services will ultimately save you a lot of money, thousands actually, each year. Think of it this way, your IT Systems are essentially watched over and monitored on a nonstop basis, and any issues that may come up are taken care of before they can become a major problem. That way, you won't have to pay for the after-effects of problems and the restoration of a damaged IT System. So, if you're paying someone on a break/fix basis, do so no more.
If your organization already has an in-house IT Department, and you're not paying someone on a break/fix basis, a Managed Services Program is still the way to go. As much as you may like your IT Guy, face it, is paying another salary an efficient way to save money during this economic downturn? We can either work hand in hand with your current IT person, or if you so choose, we can replace his/her duties and guess what - we don't take vacations, sick days, or need you to pay for our health care. Essentially, outsourcing your IT care could cut your IT bill in half. Check out our PinnacleCare ROI Calculator to see how much money your organization could be saving!
Lastly, in terms of efficiency, just think of what you'll be able to with an IT System that has guaranteed uptime. With proactive monitoring, you're IT systems will always be working for you. Your people and organization as a whole will be able to stay effective and efficient on a consistent basis. That will not only help you drive profits, it'll be a sure sign of the ROI you're getting from your Managed Services Program.
So when looking for the right IT Solution for your organization, remember to look for a good Managed Services program.
Posted by Solutions Center on Tue, Aug 25, 2009
I am not a tech geek. Nor do I pretend to be one. In fact, I'm probably the least technologically inclined person that works here at
Trigon Technology (luckily for our clients, I deal strictly with marketing). However, after working here for a few short months, I've definitely picked up on one key thing that I believe many small/medium sized business owners haven't;
Managed IT Services. If you're a small to medium sized business owner, have you ever looked into Managed Services? If you're paying a Tech guy on a break/fix basis or employing a full-time IT person or staff, Managed Services is really something that you should look into. Not only will they save you and your organization a decent chunk of cash, but seeing that Managed Services provides
proactive IT management, you'll be spared numerous technology headaches. Lastly, Managed Services will help you run your business more effectively and efficiently. So really, it's a no brainer - if you haven't considered Managed Services...do so, it just makes sense.
If you're a small to medium sized business owner who wants more information on Managed Services, and if you're located close to the Philadelphia area, check us out - Trigon Technology. Be sure to follow us on Twitter too - @TrigonIT.
Posted by Mike Harakal on Thu, Jun 04, 2009
You care because you keep seeing it referenced in the current IT jargon as the end-all be-all for how to run IT departments. It stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library. ITIL is a compilation of the best practices of IT service management policy. What are best practices? They are the generally accepted best way to perform a task. Ok, that sounds good. Maybe we should run our IT using ITIL or choose an IT vendor that uses ITIL to run its business and, by extension, our IT. The challenge for small to mid-size businesses (SBM) and their providers is that if ITIL is followed strictly, it is quite complex, time consuming, and challenging to manage. So why do we care then? We care because the basics of ITIL are in fact quite simple and easy to implement on a broad scale and your IT provider should know about it.
The greatest benefit of ITIL for SMBs is to work with an IT services provider who can pull the basics out of the ITIL framework and apply them to how they do business with you. One can get the main concepts from some simple research on the topic. ITIL boils down to aligning your business to the needs of your clients. That is the first big step. The IT service providers need to fit into its customers box, not the other way around. It's a simple concept that is, more often than not, ignored in the IT industry. Then, create documented processes that assist in the alignment, implement them, review them periodically, and finally, use lessons learned to make future modifications to your processes. It's that simple. By applying this high level overview of ITIL to your own processes and as lens to review your service providers, one will quickly determine which managed service providers really know what they're doing, when compared to the ones who are winging it. Go ahead and Wiki ITIL then see if your IT provider knows anything about it. If they can't come up with business alignment you should probably consider another provider who does.
Posted by Andrew Neumann on Wed, Apr 22, 2009
There is no doubt that the world, these days, moves at the speed of light. Computers and hand held devices have put this world at our fingertips and the idea of instant gratification is almost an outdated concept. As a field engineer, a network administrator or a call desk technician we are continually working to ensure the security, accuracy and effectiveness of this information flow. As IT professionals, we are often deployed to resolve mission critical processes for our clients that need to be addressed immediately because the difference between the systems being ‘Up' or "Down' measures in the hundreds and thousands of dollars. So what do you do when it all goes wrong?? What tools are you carrying with you that will resolve the situation?? The best tool, I have found, is well with in ‘Ear Shot.'
The process of being able to effectively resolve a serious system meltdown begins well before the meltdown is even dreamt of. You may not realize it if your client interactions move at the same speed as the information travelling over the wire. If you so are fixated on proving your point to your client you will never notice how close this tool really is. Ask yourself, when is the last time you sat and LISTENED to what your client had to say?? By listen, I don't mean picking up on things that you want to hear, or have meaning to you; I mean genuinely listening to and having a conversation with your client about work, play or anything that they want to talk about. If you are like me, unless you force yourself to remain quiet, it has probably been a long time since you have listened intently and heard all of the information that a client was presenting to you. Beginning today, think about adjusting your approach.
I have had occasion to inherit clients, not just within the IT industry but in prior careers, that have been mishandled by my predecessors. I have felt the wrath of a client scorned by a peer that had not listened to or acted upon their requests. Though my initial reaction may have been to tuck tail and run for the hills. . .quickly, very quickly, I soon learned that the most effective method to quiet the storm was to offer my ear and listen to the client for however long about whatever topic. The initial bite of the conversation may have caused me unnecessary pain but the end result, a mutually beneficial and open business relationship, proved well worth the bite. I am not suggesting that you abandon your companies business practices and make every client interaction about what they did over the weekend at the barbeque, I am merely suggesting that the next time you are talking shop, keep your mouth closed until the client has completed their thoughts. You will never know what you missed if you are too busy interrupting, at least not until you see the door has been shut on that next big IT upgrade project and the opportunity given to someone else!
Posted by Solutions Center on Fri, Mar 27, 2009
Identity theft- pretty scary to think a hacker could steal your identity and exploit you for as much as they possibly can, isn't it? Well now think what it would mean if that hacker got a hold of your business information - larger lines of credit, stealing of your customer information, more people to exploit, etc. Hackers have all the more reward by targeting your business, and believe me - they are.
On top of the confidential business information that hackers might be able to get into, others can also steal your business identity. How could they do that you may be asking? It is easy to setup online advertising that may look and resemble your business and then they click on the link and get diverted to what they believe is a legitimate business.
So what can you do to protect your business? Below we provide 8 simple steps to a safer business:
1. Defend your business!
Make sure you have adequate firewalls and antivirus protection to safeguard you from hackers who could steal your customers and company identity? Think of it like it is your home: if you leave the doors open all the time eventually you are going to get robbed. Make sure your network is secure by using firewall that is on your router.
You can also use the services of a managed provider which will safeguard you from pretty much all threats. The reasoning is Managed Services Providers go beyond standard protection to improve the performance of your infrastructure. An MSP can protect your business from viruses, spyware, and hackers. The MSP will also help you back up all your important files and proactively maintain your systems by routinely defragmenting your hard drives, compressing temporary files, downloads security fixes, and much more. You may not realize all that goes on in the background but as long as you are using an MSP you should be covered.
2. Encrypt as much as possible
Annoying as it may be encrypting your sensitive data can safeguard you from hackers. By encrypting you give the hacker more work to do which he or she may very well just not be in the mood to do. If a hacker sees you have taken the preventive steps to stay secure - they will more than likely move on. If you take one thing out of #2 here it should be: do not allow transferring of company sensitive data electronically unless it is encrypted.
3. Do NOT store credit cards numbers
Pretty simple concept to grasp: If it is stored - more than likely a hacker can get to it.
4. Run updates
Updates are there for a reason - to protect you! If you aren't running updates for your antivirus or even operating system - you are putting yourself at risk. They update the software because there are slight flaws in the system or possible loopholes - avoid the issues by running updates.
5. Get your employees to pitch in
Some basic ways that your employees can help keep your business a bit safer is by doing things like changing passwords periodically and using general security and software tools to ensure that their computers are safeguarded against attacks and malicious programs. Hackers can take information from an employee's computer, without anyone even knowing it.
6. Be careful with your mobile devices
You set your briefcase down for a minute while you go to the counter to pay for lunch. You turn around and your laptop with sensitive data is in the hands of a thief. Imagine what they can get a hold of if you haven't encrypted your data - pretty much everything. The same goes for cell phone, Blackberrys and other smartphones can provide a thief with a ton of information to exploit.
7. Know what to do when the worst occurs
Have a security compliance/disaster recovery plan in place for when worst case scenario becomes real life. It is an inexpensive way to make sure you know how to act if the issue ever arises and it will help keep you up and running.
8. Think about Managed Services - seriously
Why do companies like Trigon exist? Because we can provide services better than you could ever possibly get in-house. Hiring an "IT guru" or using your nephew who goes to school for IT may save you in the short term but what happens when your network's security is violated and you just lost all critical data that helps you run your business. An in-house "IT person" cannot proactively and preventatively maintain your systems in a fashion that actually keeps you secure. Ohh and did I mention we don't take vacations, take sick days, cost you anything in healthcare costs, and we don't clock out at 5:00 like an employee will.