This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Those who make their livings making predictions and coming up with cute names are calling 2010 “The Year of the Cloud.” To my mind that phrase brings up an image of Yoda in Dinotopia, but it’s really referring to the shift from hardware-based data storage to data storage in “the cloud,” i.e., online. The advent of Google docs and any number of other online storage systems means that companies can now store their information in The Cloud, rather than maintaining costly server centers on site. For the small- to medium-sized business (SMB), the switch to The Cloud offers an unprecedented opportunity to customize software usage and data storage. As we’ve explained in previous posts, if The Cloud allows companies to use pay-as-you-go models for software (usually referred to as SaaS, or Software as a Service), and to store information online, it could indeed be Green, since businesses would need far fewer IT resources on-site.

However, that approach only considers the end-user, in this case, an SMB. And as books like Cradle to Cradle have pointed out, if we’re really going to change our nasty, polluting habits on this planet, we need to consider the whole life cycle of a product, and/or every step in a service procedure. To apply that approach to cloud computing, we must realize that just because the data and software is not maintained on site does not mean that it’s not being juggled elsewhere. Indeed, Google, Yahoo, and every other Cumulus in The Cloud must maintain gigantic server stations to power our time online.

Internet users often don’t think about how much energy The Cloud requires, but Greenpeace does. In their 2010 Make IT Green report, Greenpeace predicts that by 2020, The Cloud will pull 1,963 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, which translates to half of the United State’s annual energy needs. To put it in less Americentric terms, that’s more than the amount of energy used annually by Brazil, France, Germany and Canada combined. (Dang, we Americans use a boatload of energy!)

So what does Greenpeace recommend? That internet leviathans like Google and Yahoo build server farms fueled by renewable energy. For instance, Greenpeace gave Facebook less-than-stellar marks for building a server farm in Prineville, Ore.—where coal is the primary source of electricity. In response, Facebook stated that the local energy company, PacificCorp, is actually the “#1 utility owner operator of renewables.” Facebook also highlighted Oregon’s requirement that 25% of the state’s power be renewable by 2025.

As we grow increasingly reliant on The Cloud, groups like Greenpeace will only scrutinize online giants more closely. On the government side, federal regulations and recommendations are beginning to catch up with the cloud factory—EnergyStar standards will soon be in place to guide the construction of new data centers.  But what can an individual user do to help color The Cloud Green? That’s a good question. While it’s encouraging that terms like “Cool IT” are being thrown around, the individual user should also take some responsibility for The Cloud—after all, each of us represents a few million water droplets of data in it.

SMB managers can help by choosing EnergyStar-compliant computers. You may also consider purchasing laptops over desktops, since laptops use up to 90% less energy. Beyond purchasing decisions, you can help reduce carbon emissions by encouraging your employees to properly set their energy settings. Screensavers, for instance, are not a wise choice, since they require the monitor to stay powered on. Direct your employees to choose a hibernate or sleep option instead. If we all do our part to be conscientious of how we use The Cloud, we can have our internet cake and eat it too.

Additional Resources:
Green IT: Cloud Computing Solutions for Small Business
What about when “green” isn’t good enough?
Three Essential Questions for Evaluating SaaS

Via Solve Climate.

Top photo by Jim Sneddon.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

A new report released last week revealed some telling statistics on the security of certain “critical infrastructure” industries like power plants, sewer/water systems, and oil/gas companies. In a survey of 600 IT security executives from companies in 14 countries, more than half have already suffered major attacks from malicious organizations. Another 40 percent expect to be infiltrated with a large-scale attack within the next 12 months.

Is your organization prepared to combat such an attack?

The report, commissioned by McAfee, Inc. and authored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), further divulged that a majority of companies suspected opposing governments to have a hand in the attacks and that recession-induced cutbacks have increased the risk of vulnerability. Additionally, a number of executives expressed their feelings of unpreparedness for such an attack.

Furthermore, the report stated that the risk of cyber-attacks is rising, noting that over one-third of executives said the vulnerability of their sector rose within the last year in spite of increased legislative action. Only 20 percent of executives believed their sector would remain safe over the next five years. Clearly, with only 20 percent of IT experts confident in their security measures, IT security needs to be taken more seriously.

Hopefully, a report with findings such as these will encourage companies with IT departments to recognize the legitimacy of IT security and allocate more resources to provide effective information security for their organizations. And if you’re a small business without an IT staff, it’s time to seriously consider trusting a reliable IT security firm to keep your organization safe.

[photo:mark i geo]

Additional Resources:

Keep Your Computer Secure In This Bad Economy

IT Security: Back to Basics

Eliminating Small Business Security Threats

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Many are still reeling from the loss and devastation in Haiti after the Caribbean country suffered the effects of a massive 7.0 earthquake early last week. And while world relief organizations have already begun to send aid, we know the recovery of this hurting nation will be long and difficult. At Ascensha, we hope for the healing of this nation, and we also hope the tragedy raises awareness concerning natural disaster planning and recovery. Unfortunately, since there is simply no way of accurately predicting when and where disasters like the one in Haiti will strike, it’s imperative to have a working disaster recovery plan in place. For those businesses who don’t already have a plan, here are a few quick steps to get you started.

Be aware of the potential disasters affecting your organization. For instance, in cities like Portland, Beaverton, and Hillsboro, businesses are subject to natural disasters like flooding, earthquakes, and electrical storms. If you know what disasters to expect, you can more adequately prepare to recover from them.

Be aware of the potential consequences of those disasters. Consider the following: compromising of sensitive information, loss of service, data loss, loss of power, property damage or loss, water damage, fire and/or smoke damage, employee injury or death — these are all possible results of a natural disaster. Your disaster recovery plan should prepare for a worst-case scenario.

Develop a disaster recovery plan specific to your organization. Since every business is different, including its essential functions and needs, no disaster recovery plan should look the same; rather, each plan should be tailored to the organization it is intended to sustain. For more detailed information on developing a specific plan for your small business, see the additional resources listed below.

Disasters like the earthquake in Haiti cannot be prevented, but they can be prepared for. In addition to supporting relief efforts in Haiti over the next months, make time to evaluate your current disaster recovery plan. And if you don’t have a plan — get one.

[photo: United Nations Development Programme]

Additional Resources:

Developing a Small Business Disaster Recovery Plan

What does your CEO know about Disaster Recovery?

Oregon Businesses Disaster Planning

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Still reeling from the repercussions of its monster service outage and data loss incident, wireless provider T-Mobile has become a living example concerning the importance of data recovery solutions. Unfortunately, they’re the example of what not to do. Immediately, as a business owner, two questions come to mind:

• “If this can happen to a 36,000-employee organization, can it happen to my small business?”
• “How do I prevent this from happening to me?”

For T-Mobile, the troubles started when Microsoft’s subsidiary Danger, which stores data for T-Mobile’s Sidekick users, reported an unspecified incident resulting in a massive system crash in its main and backup data centers. According to a statement from T-Mobile, Sidekick users’ data including contacts, calendars, photos, and other personal information “has almost certainly been lost.” As consolation, users have been offered a $50 credit to their bill and a $100 credit to any other product or service.

This incident not only validates what many information technology experts have been saying all along, but reiterates the pressing need for more companies to acquire quality data support and IT security.  It also is a reminder to talk to employees about the importance of transacting important information or material through a secure and reliable resource like an office computer rather than a personal cell phone.

So, the imperative question: Could this all have been avoided? Absolutely. One commentator on the issue put it best when he offered the invariably simple solution: “have more than one copy of your data.” And I would add, “in separate locations.”

For more solutions to data support issues, check out our additional resources listed below. And if you’re serious about preventing your organization from data loss, contact a local IT professional today.

[photo: NickStarr]

Additional Resources:

How Important is Data Backup?

What if Data Loss Happen to You?

Why are off-site data backups so important?

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

We’ve recently been discussing the rising technology known as cloud computing, however, today we shift our focus to another new technology that’s closely related to the cloud — virtualization. Similarly ambiguous and evolving like cloud technology, virtualization is more than just another buzzword being tossed around IT circles. As experts continue to toy with the technology, virtualization stands to show much promise when it comes to integrating into today’s business world. As your own business and IT needs grow, what do you need to know about how virtualization will affect you?

First, what is it?
According to tech blogger Stephen Shankland, at its most basic function, virtualization is the ability of a single machine to run multiple operating systems at the same time by utilizing compartments called virtual machines, hence ‘virtualization’. (An example of this has been depicted in the photo above.) Additionally, virtualization also has applications in other areas like networking, data storage, and software development.

Second, why?
Originally, virtualization was a great tool for software developers testing their product on different operating systems. Now, the new technology can be used for just about anything. Consequently, virtualization has immense potential to reduce IT costs as well as increase efficiency and flexibility within organizations.

If virtualization peaks your interest (and it should), consult an IT professional with your questions about what the technology can do for your organization. Additionally, watch for our upcoming post on the implications of virtualization in your small business.

[photo: Dhjiz]

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

If you’re not entirely sure you know what cloud computing is, rest assured, most people don’t. It’s a relatively new concept, and experts don’t expect to see it completely honed for another couple of years. Despite cloud computing’s ambiguity, however, it may be more imperative to learn that the General Services Administration (GSA) recently issued a request for quotation for cloud computing and other related services. According to some, this means the federal government is preparing the way for “the cloud,” as the new computing concept is also referred to. While many IT experts are still uncertain about cloud’s future, it seems the U.S. government finds promise and investment in the new technology. Why?

Before answering that question, however, first let’s try to explain the basics of cloud computing. Any major web site or service requires a server of some kind to operate and maintain its functionality. Typically, these servers are physical computers — and the larger the web service, the larger the server (essentially stacks upon stacks of computers). Cloud computing, then, is basically pay-for-use virtual servers. In other words, cloud computing does away with the need for purchasing and maintaining physical servers, and essentially offers server space for rent via the Internet. As you can imagine, for many, cloud computing poses real solutions for increasing capacity and adding capabilities without investing in new infrastructure, personnel, or software.

So then, if the government can harness cloud technology and thereby eliminate costly investments and maintenance, it’s clear they stand to save a great deal of time, energy, and resources. A growing concern, however, is the information security risks cloud computing is currently facing that have many IT staff and services questioning its reliability, especially concerning government affairs.

Look for more on cloud computing security later this month.

[photo: Seth M]

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

Yesterday, the world was put on hold. At least, that’s what the tens of millions of users on the social media site Twitter thought. What happened? Twitter claims it has been subjected to an ongoing denial-of-service (DoS) attack which finally congested its network to the point it could no longer sustain service for its users. Today, with some — not all — Twitterers tweeting away again, the attack raises a number of questions, including What exactly is a denial-of-service attack? and Why target Twitter? Perhaps the more important question, though, is how can you prevent such an attack from happening to your web site?

A typical DoS attack is often motivated by people seeking ransom money or making a political statement (the alleged reason behind the Twitter attacks). The aim is to prevent a specific web site from providing service to its clients, users, or visitors by dramatically slowing or stopping its network response time. As such, a hacker first creates a “botnet” by infecting a large number of personal computers with malware. The malware causes each infected computer to make repeated requests of a targeted web site, and as the computer-generated requests increase, server support slows significantly and often, as in Twitter’s case, the demand becomes so great the web site simply becomes inaccessible to normal users.

As you can imagine, for companies that use the Internet as a major medium of business, specifically their company web site, a DoS attack can be devastating. Thankfully, preventing and reducing the risk a of DoS threat is possible by implementing a number of healthy practices. The most obvious is, of course, using and maintaining antivirus software on your PC. Additionally, continually updating Internet browsers, flash players, and plug-ins — not to mention your operating system — will reduce your risk as well.

There are also a number of sophisticated network analysis tools available to help organizations spot weaknesses and predict and prevent possible threats. These tools are most effective in the hands of a technical support expert, and good IT consulting companies will offer this specific type of computer systems security.

If someone can successfully shut down a widely-used web service like Twitter, your business is certainly at risk. Take the necessary measures to secure your web site and guard against threats like DoS. Don’t risk potentially crippling your business because you didn’t feel the threat was a legitimate possibility — it is, just ask Twitter.

[image: Jared Newman/PC World]

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

According to an article I read earlier this year, the term “green IT” has gone through a number of changes, including its definition and main objective. At first, green IT was all about being environmentally-friendly — reducing your carbon footprint and such. As energy costs began to rise, however, green IT quickly transitioned into a solution for cutting costs and saving money. Now, it seems as though green IT has morphed yet again into a new concept for many companies.

In effect, businesses are now talking about green IT in terms of “business value” or “total cost of ownership.” These concepts adopt a wider perspective when it comes to going green. Rather than implementing a handful of initiatives aimed at marketing an environmentally-friendly face or reducing departmental costs, companies are taking a wholistic approach. The trend, now, is discovering ways to offer and utilize entirely green IT services, not simply programs.

The article’s author, Michael Vizard, puts it this way:

What customers are looking for is a more thoughtful approach…. That means they don’t want to be pitched a bunch of random products that happen to be green, but rather an overall transformation of their IT environment based on a green solution that allows them to…lower the total cost of computing, while improving the company’s environmental track record.

“Going green” is no longer a cheap publicity stunt or hoop that companies feel obligated to jump through; it’s a real-time solution to the growing demand of effectively and efficiently operating IT services.

[photo: greenbang.com]

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

I thought I’d share some of the IT news that floated past my desk this week – the stuff that I thought made for interesting reading.

Make the Right Choice for Data Backup Business Solutions
This article provides insight to value-added retailers on selling data backup and storage devices to business but there is some interesting information for everyone on backup disk options that are better than others, namely Serial ATA and how these technologies should fit into an overall disaster recovery plan for businesses.

Ten Ways to Save on Data Storage Costs
Cost saving suggestions for IT staffers and companies looking to reduce costs without compromising security.

Before you Call For Computer Repair
We’ve all jumped the gun on asking for computer help when the problem and/or solution was way too simple. This article, written by one of Ascensha’s regular writers, is a simple checklist of basic things to do yourself before you call your IT guy for help or repair.

Data loss spurs new IT approach
Oklahoma is taking steps to shore up its data protection infrastructure at the state level.  Two proposed bills aim to create a chief information officer position for the state that would oversee security and technology purchases for all state agencies.  Good idea?  Honestly, I’m a little shocked this position doesn’t already exist in this day and age.

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This post originated at IT Services Info & News | Ascensha. Ascensha is a Portland, OR IT company that manages and develops network infrastructure for Oregon small businesses.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services had a lot of explaining to do this month after an employee’s laptop, with roughly 1 million Oklahoma residents’ personal information tucked inside, was stolen. The department notified those that may have had their information viewed but was that enough?

What killed me was the DHS Director’s response in a news release – “The risk of the data being accessed is low because the computer uses a password-protected system.”

Oh really?  And what kind of password system?  Was the employee diligent in creating good passwords? Was the password changed regularly? What has come to light is that the data on the laptop, though password protected, was not encrypted leaving it vulnerably sitting behind a meager password-protection.  Prying the hard drive out would suddenly render that information readable in any other system.

Let me be clear, I’m not writing this to cause alarm or to point fingers at the Oklahoma DHS.  I am just saying, companies HAVE GOT to understand that basic network security and system safe-guards are not always enough. If dealing with highly sensitive financial information or personal data, get an IT professional service to help you set-up a solid network that will protect you from disasters like this.  Computer support is available to you if you are willing to take the steps to get your company’s security safe.

More on computer security.

Photo of HP Pavilion 2415NR Laptop

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