We are fortunate to have a good answer because we think about these types of scenarios all the time as part of disaster preparedness planning with our customers. In our case, EVERY one of our business operating systems (our ticketing system, our tools, our CRM system, etc.) all operate just as well remotely over the Internet as they do when sitting in our office. In effect, our infrastructure is set up in such a way that ANYONE in the organization can do their job just as effectively from a remote location with Internet and a phone line as they can sitting in our office. That means in the event of some type of widespread pandemic outbreak (H1N1 or something else) we can very quickly 'scatter' and continue to operate seamlessly without a problem. Beyond that, we are also a member of a much larger peer group organization spread around the country. Our particular peer group consists of 11 other companies JUST like ours that use the same systems, methodologies, etc. That gives us the ability to tap into a large labor pool on very short notice, and one that is geographically dispersed which helps to mitigate the risk of a localized breakout.

The part of that meeting that was very encouraging to us was that this issue was top of mind for our client. We talk with customers constantly about the need for disaster preparedness, having a good disaster recovery plan, having good remote access in place, and having redundant systems in place that can be used in an emergency. Often times, however, we feel like our urging is falling on deaf ears. So many people operate from the perspective of 'if it hasn't happened to me, I don't need to worry about it'. That's an OK strategy until it DOES happen to you. It might not ever happen, but it also might happen tomorrow.

I'd encourage readers of this newsletter to step back and examine their own level of preparedness. Have you thought through what you'd do if ¾ of your staff was out sick simultaneously? Is your remote access up to par and ready to accommodate your workforce no matter where they are? Can you call in additional resources on short notice?

As with anything technology related, if we can help just by answering questions, or by assisting with getting you to where you need to be, just let us know.

Have a great month!

E-Mail Etiquette for Wireless Devices: 7 Tips
by Christopher Elliott
Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center

Reader Terri Thornton aptly sums up the frustration with today's wireless transmissions. "I hate checking my e-mail and having the subject line be so long that it scrolls forever until I can figure out what the topic is, or whether it's important," says Thornton, a Cincinnati marketing executive. "Worse is the one-word subject line that says nothing and you have to open it to find out what it is and discover it's 30 lines of nothing."

So what is the etiquette for sending e-mail messages to and from wireless devices? Here are seven tips.

Lock up your servers!
Jason Appel, Security Practice Manager, Sage Computer

One aspect often overlooked when securing our information is physical security. The goal of physical security is to control who can walk up to the information and touch it. The idea is to prevent unwanted information disclosure, loss, or corruption, the same as when securing the information across the network or from the internet. The difference is that physical security deals with the "real world".

For most of us, this doesn't mean training your Chihuahua as an attack dog or outfitting your employees with dark shades, cheap suits and sleeve microphones; it simply means using some common sense.

Before we can take measures to physically secure our information, we need to know what type of information needs to be protected. There is no need to post armed guards around your product catalog after it's been published: it's meant to be seen by others. Before it's published could be a different story as you may not want your competition getting a sneak peek. In other words, we need to classify our information.

While there are many excellent information classification schemes, they all boil down to one question: who needs to have what level of access. The rest is deciding how to limit access to just those people. With this in mind, there is one common sense step we can take to beef up our physical security in the typical small office. Lock it up.

Read more

System Engineering Corner Notes from the Network Engineering Department: Note to readers: As our network engineers work with all of you across our entire customer base, they observe trends and issues that many people have in common, or that many customers will find helpful to know about. This section is designed to give them a mechanism to communicate those issues to you, with the hope that YOU might benefit from.

Frustrated by trying to communicate with customers, partners, or vendors via an email, but limited in the attachment size you can send?

Do you often need to share large files with outside parties, but find a lot of logistical problems with sending those files back and forth?

Check out a free service called YouSendIt http://www.yousendit.com. This service allows you to send large files to anyone in a secure fashion, and for files under 100 MB, it is FREE.

We often have customers come to us frustrated because they are trying to accomplish a task by sending large files through email, and are unable to do so because of restrictions either on their side or on the receiving party's side. This service solves that problem and works very nicely.

All you have to do is go to the website and follow the instructions. Enjoy!

September 2009
In this issue

 □  Welcome
 □  E-Mail Etiquette
 □  Lock Up Your Servers!
 □  Engineering Corner
 □  Referral Program
 □  Windows 7 Pro Has Arrived

itSynergy Referral Program

Can we buy you dinner and send you to the movies? How about make a donation to your favorite charity in your name? Earn rewards for referring new customers to itSynergy. For more details, please visit here.

Windows 7 Professional Has Arrived
Keep Your Business Moving Forward with Windows 7 on your PC

Designed to meet the needs of small and midsize businesses, the Windows® 7 Professional operating system delivers a powerful combination of innovation, improved performance, and productivity.

We're ready to help focus on what matters most, your business, by providing you with a solution that:

• Works the way you want. Fast, reliable, and compatible, Windows 7 Professional delivers a solid foundation for running a business in today's competitive environment.
• Helps you get more done. Find what you need quickly, easily connect to your networks, and be more productive-whether you're at work, at home, or on the road.
• Safeguards your work. Keep your business up and running with new security and recovery options that help prevent security threats and data loss.

Contact us to find out how Windows 7 Professional can benefit your business today.

Quote of the month

A high school teacher hung this sign under the clock in her classroom, "Time will pass, Will you?"

-James E. Myers

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