http://www.nmgi.com/news NMGI publishes a monthly newsletter named the "NMGI Technology News." The Newsletter contains stories about new developments in IT, products and services available from NMGI, profiles of NMGI employees, technology tips and tricks, and details about upcoming NMGI events. en Network Management Group, Inc Jeff Graber 1/1/2010 9:29:10 AM 7/8/2010 3:50:31 PM Feed Launch .NET- http://feedlaunch.sourceforge.net/ or http://www.sourceforge.net/feedlaunch http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html 180 0 0 http://www.nmgi.com/com_content&view=article&id=239 As your trusted technology partner, we feel duty bound to try before you buy. How can we make recommendations to you about products we don't know how to use? It's a dirty job, and sometimes risky, but someone has to try stuff first - so we do. Our experiences at being early adopters are sometimes frustrating. We figure our pain is your gain. I have a confession to make - It's not that way with Office 2010. Offices 2010 is love at first sight! by Jane Cage, COO, HTS 7/8/2010 8:27:26 AM HTS http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=238 Midsized companies are moving toward an infrastructure that is optimized and responsive to help them meet new business demands. This article in our series looks at the short- and long-term benefits of cloud computing and how midsized companies can start integrating some cloud services into their existing IT environments. The article re-printed courtesy of IBM ForwardView eMagazine 7/8/2010 8:33:05 AM IBM ForwardView eMagazine http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=237 Are you getting a new PC, or a set of new PCs for your business? If so, the question becomes: What do I do with that old clunker? by Kim Komando used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center 7/8/2010 8:34:21 AM Microsoft Small Business http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=240 Whether you're leaving the office for the holidays, going on vacation, or taking a business trip, there are a number of things you can do to prepare your computer for your time away. Canceling appointments and letting people know you'll be gone are just a few of the things you can do to make sure your responsibilities are covered and people aren't trying to meet with you. Here are some best practices to make sure your work goes on smoothly, even when you're gone... used with permission from Microsoft at Work 7/8/2010 8:35:36 AM Microsoft at Work http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=229 We all make mistakes. It's the damage that really counts. Not long ago, Twin Partners, a Rochester, N.Y., advertising agency, signed on a media behemoth as a client. During the agency's first media buy for the project, it switched to a less-expensive freelancer. And the results showed. "She didn't use the proper software. When we showed our work, we were told that it was not representative of what we said we would do," recalls agency owner John Galbraith... used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center 6/14/2010 8:53:37 AM http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=228 A lot of the focus is on security and ways of protecting the network and threats from inside and outside. Every day, hackers work on finding exploits and unpatched systems to break into. In the 1990's, viruses were written by kids, and college students more for an annoyance then what they are doing today. Today, groups of hackers usually hired by organized crime purposely write programs to steal data, including credit cards, banking information, or other sensitive data. The landscape has changed, and will keep changing as technology does. As a systems engineer, part of my job is protecting computers and networks from these threats... by Lyle Epstein, Kortek Solutions 6/14/2010 8:53:11 AM http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=231:desk-of-harper All of us at NMGI have a very busy summer planned. Some of us are taking extended vacations, others attending various industry trade shows, and some of our staff will become parents for the first time in very short order. No matter whether you're working or playing the use of technology has become an integral part of our lives. New Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's) and expanded applications on cell phones have changed the way we as Americans wok, play and conduct our very lives... Steve Harper - President / CEO 6/3/2010 9:43:38 AM NMGI http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=232:clay-delaney Clayton attended college at Brown Mackie College on a baseball scholarship and earned his diploma in Information Technology for Business. After graduating, he attended Fort Hays State University majoring in Computer Information Systems... NMGI Technology News 6/3/2010 9:49:40 AM NMGI http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=227:navigate-tables The most common method for moving a table is to click the specific cell you want to go to. However, if the table contains many rows and columns across a page, you could spend a great deal of time scrolling... NMGI Technology News 6/3/2010 9:54:18 AM NMGI http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218 Last Tuesday May 4th, Network Management Group Inc (NMGI) held its annual Business Technology Expo here in Hutchinson. A full day of seminars and vendor displays was enjoyed by all. The event kicked off with the annual "Technology Update" by our own Randy Johnston. For a copy of his schedule please email us at... By Steve Harper, President/CEO, Network Management Group, Inc. 5/14/2010 3:25:38 PM Network Management Group, Inc. http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=200 Did you know that an estimated 90% of data loss incidents are accidental... reprinted from Symantec 5/14/2010 3:37:35 PM Symantec http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=201 To save money on equipment and time on system maintenance, more and more businesses are deploying virtual servers. Reduced overhead and simplified management can free up resources that can be applied toward innovation and other valuable projects that sharpen the business' competitive edge... reprinted with permission from HP 5/14/2010 3:39:42 PM HP http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=202 The security of your computer and data is crucial for you and the success of company. Lost or stolen information can reveal company secrets, or expose your confidential or personal information. The more you do to keep your computer secure, the safer your information will be... used with permission from Microsoft At Work 5/14/2010 3:43:12 PM Microsoft at Work http://www.nmgi.com/news/0410/Audit_Your_Website.htm Audits are as inevitable as taxes, so as tax season is coming to an end, now would be a good time to assess your web site and determine if it is doing anythind for your business. How much business would you do if people could not find your office? Today you realize that much of your new business comes from your web site not the office... Justin Spencer, SpencerSEM 4/1/2010 3:08:35 PM SpencerSEM http://www.nmgi.com/news/0410/ROI_Extending_the_Benefits.htm What's good for the environment can also make incredibly good business sense. By taking advantage of green IT strategies such as virtualization and server consolidation, midsized businesses can raelize immediate ROI in 2010. What's more, today's energy-efficient technologies do more than just alleviate power and cooling costs. Green IT solutions can also have a significant impact on company-wide operational efficiency. This article re-printed courtesy of IBM ForwardView eMagazine 4/1/2010 3:18:04 PM IBM ForwardView http://www.nmgi.com/news/0410/Top_Seven_Reasons.htm Negativity is the number on productivity problem in the workplace. Signs of negativity include backstabbing, gossiping, power struggles and lacj of teamwork. The end result is absenteeism, low morale and turnover. Here are seven tips for improving workplace relationships and reducing negativity... By Marlene Chism (used with permission) 4/1/2010 3:25:15 PM http://www.nmgi.com/news/0410/Excel_Tip.htm We all know Excel is a powerful applications. But what about Excel Mobile? Does Excel's functionality translate to the spreadsheet's mobile version for use on your smartphone... reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center 4/1/2010 3:34:16 PM HP Small Business Center http://www.nmgi.com/news/0410/You're_In_Sales.htm If I ask you right now whether or not you are in sales, chances are you would say, "No, I'm in accounts payable or customer service or marketing." You might even say, "I'm the CEO... Debra J. Schmidt (used with permission) 4/1/2010 3:38:31 PM http://www.nmgi.com/news/0310/Why_Virtualization.htm Virtual macine technologies enable one physical workstation or server to run multiple operating systems and related applications at the same time. Think of a virtual machine as a software machine running within a physical harware machine. A virtual machine uses virtualization software and selected hardware devices to create an emulated operating environment. This all sounds pretty geeky, so is it worth considering the effort... Randy Johnston, Executive Vice-President, Network Management Group, Inc. 3/8/2010 4:03:13 PM Network Management Group. Inc http://www.nmgi.com/news/0310/The_Future_of_Computing.htm Technology is in the early stages of a big shift, one that will transform how companies and individuals access information, share content and communicate. This next wave will be driven by a new model of computing: people and businesses will use their web browsers to access a wide range of "cloud services" -- computing services available on demand, over the Internet... Shane Robison, Cheif Technology Officer, HP (Reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center) 3/8/2010 4:09:47 PM HP Small Business Center http://www.nmgi.com/news/0310/What_a_VAR_Can_Do.htm Technology can go a long way in helping your business stay competitive, meet customer expectations and improve operational efficiencies. But most small businesses simply don't have the resources to evaluate technologies and aren't sure where to find the right technolgy partner. That's where a value added reseller can help... Peter Alexander (Used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center) 3/8/2010 4:15:44 PM Microsoft Small Business Center http://www.nmgi.com/news/0310/Managers_Beware.htm Is "walking the talk" a tired old clich or a bold new concept? Very few managers today are receiving formal management training. As a result, many are poor communicators and weak in their delegation and leadership skills. Debra J. Schmidt (Used with permission) 3/8/2010 4:19:48 PM http://www.nmgi.com/news/0210/Social_Networking_First%20Do_No_Harm.htm It has been estimated that more than 76 million "millennials" (Americans born between 1978 and 2000) are ready to enter the workforce throughout the next decade. At the same time significant numbers of the "Baby Boomer" generation will be retiring... Robert H. Spencer and Randolph P. Johnston 2/4/2010 5:43:13 PM Network Management Group, Inc http://www.nmgi.com/news/0210/Three_Ways_to_Thrive.htm Signs of a possible upturn are reenergizing businesses. However, this recession isn't ending in a sharp economic upturn... reprinted with permission from the HP Enterprise Center 2/4/2010 5:38:17 PM HP Enterprise Center http://www.nmgi.com/news/0210/Jet_Pilots_Don't_Use_Rear_View_Mirrors.htm Because the world is changing rapidly, you need to look ahead, not back. Commercial jets cruise at about 600 miles per hour, which is the equivalent of ten miles per minute, or three-and-a-third city blocks per second... Joel H. Weldon (used with permission) 2/4/2010 5:33:28 PM Joel H. Weldon and Associates, Inc http://www.nmgi.com/news/0210/Replace_your_Old_Technology.htm It can be tempting to avoid new purchases when dealing with a tight budget or a need to cut costs. When it comes to your office's computer equipment, however, delaying a PC refresh can actually increase your operating expenses. Maintenance and support costs go up significantly over time, and productivity goes down... reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center 2/4/2010 5:29:21 PM HP Small Business Center http://www.nmgi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&itemid=96 It gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Doug Elliott as "General Manager" of NMGI. Doug is a seasoned business executive who for the past three years has lead the development and management of our DoubleCheck Email Manager Division. With the sale of that division in September of last year Doug has been transitioning to the new role while winding down the post sale activities. Steve Harper - President/CEO 1/21/2010 2:29:16 PM Network Management Group http://www.nmgi.com/news/0110/4_Reasons_Virtualization_Saves.htm Most articles about virtualization discuss the technology in the context of "big" business. They are glowing about the potential for "data center consolidation" or "reduced system mintenance expenses." Or they rave about the prospects for a better disaster recovery plan, better security and extra flexibility for employees. Heather Clancy - reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center 1/20/2010 4:11:36 PM Microsoft Small Business Center http://www.nmgi.com/news/0110/The_Tale_of_Two_Dogs.htm As a first time dog owner, he failed. He would call , "Ginger!" but Ginger wouldn't respond. She continued wandering and sniffing bushes, as dogs are wont to do, and only return when she wanted to, which was neither soon nor quick enough to suit him. And when she did come back, he was furious. He would grab her collar, shake her and yell, "BAD dog! You come when I call!" But she gradually became even less inclined to respond and he grew more frustrated, until one day he left the dog on a friend's farm where she could run free. Joel H. Weldon (used with permission) 1/20/2010 4:17:48 PM Joel H. Weldon and Associates, Inc http://www.nmgi.com/news/1209/Loyalty_Is_Built.html Voicemail, automated phone systems, email and other technology have replaced the personal touch when it comes to customer service. Customer frustrations are on the rise. Their number one complaint is that no one really seems to care anymore. Debra J. Schmidt (used with permission) 1/13/2010 9:32:52 AM Debra J. Schmidt http://www.nmgi.com/news/1209/From_the_heart.html A number of years ago, a United States Peace Corps volunteer, teaching English on one of the tiny, remote Tongan islands in Polynesia, learned a valuable lesson that you too might benifit from. Joel Weldon (used with permission) 1/13/2010 10:03:59 AM Success Comes in Cans http://www.nmgi.com/news/1209/Holding_a_Web_meeting.html Think hard now. Can you remember your first virtual meeting? For many of you, it was in the latter decades of the 20th century, and you likely called it a "teleconference." If so chances are you can recall how simple - but expensive the technology used to be. Christopher Elliot - reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center 1/13/2010 10:10:40 AM Microsoft Small Business Center