Here in Fort Worth we are not too familiar with snow.  We usually get one or two days of ice per year and anything more than that is the end of the world.  This winter, however, has been somthing of an anomaly.  We had the first white Christmas in 83 years.  A couple of weeks ago, we had about 12 inches of snow.  My daughter and I made a snow girl in the front yard.  It was beautiful. 

The problem is that we Texans don't know how to handle snow or ice.  Everything shut down.  Businesses and houses lost their power, schools closed and the city looked likea  ghost town.  This kind of thing can be devastating for the economy.  In my business, managing client's computer networks, we don't have the luxury of taking a snow day.  We have clients around the country relying on us to keep their systems running and to provide help desk services no matter what the weather in Fort Worth is doing.

One of the tools that we rely on to work when we can't get to the office is Citrix XenApp.  This software lets you run business applications from any computer with an internet connection as if you were sitting in the office.  In fact, if it's properly configured, many user's cannot tell that the program isn't running on their local PC.  This software is amazing for when you're on the road and you need to access your company's database application.  Or perhaps your kid's school called to say your child is sick - with this software you can be just as productive at home as at the office.  

To find out more information or to see a demo of this product, give us a call at 817-224-2100.

I was one of THOSE people who held my breath for the new apple tablet dubbed the iPad.  I won't say I was obsessed with it, but I did follow the it awfully closely, devouring any kind of rumor about specs or leaks of its capabilities.  On the day of the launch, I had three tabs of my firefox open to different livebloggers who were at the event and I would cycle through them to see the product pictures or specs.  

In the interest of full disclosure, The Strickland Group is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.  I have worked with and advocated for Microsoft technologies for more than half my life.  I was an early adopter of Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 7.  I used a Windows Mobile phone for years, though I have an iPhone currently.  I really wanted to love the iPad.

I think the iPad will be a great device for the average well-to-do consumer.  I'd even go so far as to say that when the common home user is looking to replace their XP laptop in a year or two, the iPad might be a good enough choice for them.  And at an entry point price of $499, it's not too shabby.  If you were to buy it as a top of the line e-book reader and that's all you wanted to use it for, it would be a great device.

However, despite all my efforts, I just don't love the iPad. Sure, it's not all bad - at least it's got it's looks.  Also, the websites they demoed rendered beautifully.  I believe it would be a pleasure to read the New York Times on the device.  But it's what the thing won't do that's stands out for me.

• No support for flash.  Are you kidding me Apple?  You're going to release an device that "puts the internet in your hands" that doesn't play flash.  Dumbfounded.
• No camera.  Would have been an amazing video conferencing device.
• No multi-tasking.  I can't listen to pandora while I'm surf?  I can't  pause a game I'm playing and go google something I just saw on TV? I can't keep IM going in the background? 

Oh well.  Holding my breath for iPad 2.0...

It seems that everywhere I go I am being inundated with Cloud Computing.  It's on radio talk shows, magazine advertisements, sitcoms, websites, and billboards.  Much like the marketing phase we all suffered through a couple of years ago where any product could be granted hipness by slapping an "i" or an "e" on the front of it's name, marketing executives seem to think that any product can be transfored into cutting edge or revolutionary by placing the word "cloud" somewhere in the product's name.  But what does this buzz word du jour really mean?  Why do I care if something is in "the cloud?"

At the most basic, cloud computing means that you can access data from your computer or phone where the data is hosted by someone on a server somewhere.  The server is in the cloud.  The beauty of cloud computing is that you don't care who manages the servers, what software runs them or where they're located.  The important part is that you can access your data or application very easily.

We all use the cloud in at least a limited sense.  For instance, Google.com is a cloud based app.  When you type in a search for best cheese curl recipe your query is sent of to banks and banks of servers somewhere.  You may be getting results from a server down the street or across the world.  It doesn't really matter.  As far as we're concerned, who cares what database system is processing my recipe request - as long as the answer to my question comes back fast and is the answer in the ballpark for what I wanted.

Although websites are the most obvious cloud application we run into, they're not the only game in town.  At The Strickland Group, we've been using a cloud based backup product for a couple of years now.  It's a server that sits on a client's network and takes periodic backups throughout the day.  At night - or whenever the client's off-peak internet bandwith hours are - this server compresses the day's backups into one file, encrypts it with AES 256 bit encryption and sends it to a datacenter on the East Coast US.  From there the data is replicated to another datacenter on the West Coast.  This gives the client emergency disaster recovery capabilities if something happens to their server room.  This product has several other killer features such as the ability to create a virtual server from the most recent backups - if your mail server has a hardware issue, this device can build a virtual mail server that your employees can use without any action on their part until you can get the hardware issues repaired.  Really amazing technology.

Another up and coming cloud app is Cloud based antivirus.  This is a new slant on anti-virus software.  Essentially, your files are sent to the AV providers servers where they are scanned.  Your PC is not spending valuable CPU time scanning files because it's all done on a server somewhere in the cloud.  You don't have to keep virus definitions up to date, you don't have to install the latest version, you don't have to keep your computer on certain nights of the week so a scan will run.  All you really need is a very fast internet connection.

It will be interesting to see what comes of the cloud computing trend.  I think it's safe to say that the buzz worthiness of the concept will wear off, but the technology of cloud computing is here to stay.  More and more of our online lives will be in the cloud.

Wondering what you can do to help the suffering in Haiti?  Here are some practical suggestions.

Make a CWS Kit  - For those seeking additional ways beyond donations, Church World Service, a key relief partner of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is providing hygiene, infant and medical kits. These kits are assembled by volunteers and shipped to people in need.   For individuals or groups wanting to assemble kits, visit the link listed.  Kits can be dropped off at the Religious & Spiritual Life Office in the first floor of Jarvis Hall at TCU. http://www.churchworldservice. org/kits_main

Stay Aware and Involved - Various departments and student groups will be coordinating their own efforts in the months ahead. Post what you're doing at the Facebook group "Horned Frogs Reaching Out to Haiti" or email faith@tcu.edu to receive occasional updates and let us know what you're doing.

Volunteer Locally - by getting involved with our local Chisholm Trail American Red Cross chapter, you join others who provide assistance during various disasters and relief efforts.  This can include providing safety and health services, transportation, education, disaster services and much more.  Click here to volunteer http://chisholmtrail.redcross. org or email faith@tcu.edu if you're interested in Red Cross volunteering and training with others at TCU.

A List of Selected Agencies Providing Assistance:
Visit the sites of the organizations below to give online:

    The American Red Cross International Response Fund  
          http://www.redcross. org

    Partners In Health Haiti Earthquake Fund
      http://www.pih.org

   Disciples of Christ Week of Compassion Fund
      http://weekofcompassion. org
   
   UNICEF Haiti Earthquake Fund  
    http://www.unicefusa.org

    International Medical Corps, Earthquake in Haiti Fund
      http://www.imcworldwide. org

    Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund
      http://www.mercycorps. org
  
    Doctors Without Borders
      http://www. doctorswithoutborders.org
  
    Oxfam Haiti Earthquake Response Fund
      http://www.oxfamamerica. org

    Catholic Relief Services
      http://www.crs.org

    American Jewish World Service Earthquake Relief Fund
      http://www.ajws.org
 
   CARE
      http://www.care.org

    International Rescue Committee IRC Haiti Crisis Fund
      http://www.theirc.org

Ever wanted to know how much internet bandwidth your company is actually using?  Does your internet come to a crawl at about the same time each day?  Do you really need as much bandwidth as you're paying for or could you survive a slower connection?  How much internet traffic are we actually using.

Many of our clients were asking us these questions.  The problem of evaluating how much bandwidth a business needs can be quite a dilemma.  Of course, you can throw money at a big internet pipe, but what if your connection is sitting unused most of the time?  What if you could save a couple hundred dollars a month?

We've put together a bandwidth monitoring website to answer these questions for our clients.  This website analyzes the current traffic utilization for your connection every five minutets and then creates graphs of internet usage.  It will show statistics on inbound and outbound traffic over the course of time.  The graphs scale from hourly usage stats all the way up to yearly traffic stats.  We've been able to use this software to identify patterns in client's bandwidth usage and resolve issues like computers downloading updates in the middle of the day instead of overnight, or users streaming video all day long.

If you're interested in finding out more, call us at 817-224-2100.

Here are some examples of the graphs:

5 minute average

Monthly Average

Drill Down

As more and more of our lives move online, protecting our personal information becomes ever more important and ever more of a challenge.  Additionally, there are so many different kinds of security risks these days including viruses, malware, spyware, phishing scams, denial of service attacks and many more.  And it's only going to get worse as hackers and botnets become more sophisticated.

Fortunately, there are many great security products on the market right now.  Personally, I rely on a mixture of security software to keep my computers safe.  Each entry on the list performs a different function or blocks a different type of threat, and I'll attempt to explain why each item is important.

Antivirus Software: AVG Antivirus

I have used and recommended AVG antivirus for home and corporate users for several years now.  I look for several things when selecting an antivirus solution and the free version of AVG's software for home users hits every item on my list.  First, it doesn't slow my computer down unreasonably.  Any software that is running is going to slow down a computer some and antivirus software is notoriously bad about this as it has to scan every file that is opened on a pc to make sure it's a safe file.  AVG does a good job of scanning the computer but leaving enough processing power that I can continue to work.  Second, AVG keeps itself updated.  As new viruses are released into the wild on an hourly basis, an antivirus software is only able to protect against the viruses that it knows about.  AVG is really good about updating itself automatically with the latest virus database.

AntiSpyware software: Spybot Search and Destroy

Spybot is great software for analyzing every file on your computer and detecting unwanted adware of spyware.  It's also very good at preventing spyware from being added to your PC.  We've probably all seen computers infested with spyware or adware - they usually get internet windows pop up on their screens either at random times or every time you do an internet search.  They make computing miserable.  It comes with a large database of known spyware or adware and the makers keep it up to date with the latest threats.

AntiMalware software: Malware Bytes

I cannot count the number of times this program has saved me from having to wipe and reload a computer.  Malware is a general term for malicious software including viruses, Trojans or worms.  Periodically, I'll come across a computer infected with so much malware that is unuseable.  In some cases, the computer will boot and work for 5 or 10 minutes and then come to a crawl where the Start button will not even work.  In those cases, I turn to MalwareBytes to remove the bad software.  It usually is able to resuscitate a compromised PC.  You can also install malware bytes on a clean computer and it will run as a background process and prevent malicious software from being installed.

Microsoft Windows Defender

Windows defender is very similar to Spybot or malware bytes.  It is a great free product that runs in the background and protects your PC from programs that cause Pop-ups, slowdowns or other security threats.

Firewall software: Comodo Firewall Pro

This software is essential for laptops that connect to public wireless networks.  Every time your computer connects to the internet, it is at risk.  I read an article years ago that said that a computer with an internet connection and no security software can be compromised in 4 minutes.  Most offices or home networks have a router that have a built in firewall that is sufficient to protect your computers.  However, if you take your computer away from that firewall, Comodo can fill the void.  It scans every packet that comes in to your computer from the internet and blocks the undesirable stuff.  It's also really easy to install, which is a major plus for most users.

Links:
AVG antivirus (http://free.avg.com)
Spybot Search and Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html)
Malware Bytes (http://www.malwarebytes.org)
Microsoft Windows Defender ( http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx)
Comodo Firewall Pro (http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/)

With over 100,000 IPhone Apps and more than 300 new apps created every day, it can be impossible to find apps that are worth the download.  Here is a list of my current top 10 favorite FREE iphone apps (in no particular order).

Urban spoon - Shake your phone and this app will suggest a local restaurant to eat at.  Sorted by city, type of food and price, Urban Spoon will serve up a world of choices.

Pandora - free internet radio.  This app will build a custom radio station based on your faviorite artists

Flixster - movie showtimes, previews and reviews

Shazam - need to know what that annoying song playing overhead at the grocery store is?  Shazam will tell you

USA Today - great news app.  Really like the daily pictures

AP Mobile - Another great news source

Kindle - plenty of free content, but great paid content as well

InstaPaper - find an interesting article on your computer?  Hit the Instapaper icon and that article will be formatted for the iphone and synched to your phone for reading at your leisure.

Toobz Free - hours of mindless entertainment

Boxed In - Great puzzle game

I read an article recently that said that FBI director Robert Mueller doesn't use online banking at all because he almost fell for a classic "phishing" scam.  According to the article, he received an email that appeared to be from his bank and began following the instructions in the email.  Fortunately for his credit score, he caught on to the scam at the last minute.  In a classic knee jerk reaction, he now refuses to use internet banking at all.  What does this say about the state of internet security if someone with as much access to world-class security software as the director of the FBI is susceptible to internet fraud?

I certainly understand there are high risks to using internet banking.  I've read tons of horror stories about people whose financial lives have been ruined by identity theft.  We've all seen the fake emails from our bank, or from the IRS that look almost legitimate.  Even so, the convenience of internet banking outweighs the risks for me - as long as my wife and I practice safe computing.

Here are some tips for safe browsing:

• Don't click on links or attachments in emails you aren't expecting.  If you need to do something at yoyr bank, go directly to your bank's website.
• Assume any message from your bank informing you that you need to sign in to update your information is junk.  Because of the prevalence of scans, most banks won't use email to communicate this type of information.  You'll get a letter in the mail or a pop-up on the website when you sign in.
• Patch, patch, patch.  Keep your operating system and security software up to date.
• Watch your account activity.  The best way to know if your accounts are compromised is to keep a close watch on the transactions.  The sooner you know about traffic that's not yours, the better.
• Use your annual free credit report.  We all get one free report a year.  Use it to see if any repair needs to be done.
• If you have wi-fi at your house, don't leave your computers on.  Wi-fi is a leaky vessel and embarassingly easy to compromise.  If you leave your computers sitting idle, connected to the internet for huge amounts of time, you're asking for trouble.
• Everyone needs a good firewall and good antivirus software.  There are plenty of free or cheap options available that do a pretty good job.

Here's a list of some of the Cool Features in Windows 7:

• AeroShake - Hover your mouse overt the title bar of your active window, left-click and then shake your mouse.  All inactive windows disappear.  Shake again and everything comes back.
• Switch through documents with ease - Windows 7 groups all windows by type, for instance all open word documents will appear under the Word icon, all open email messages will be grouped under the outlook icon.  If you hold the CTRL key and click with your mouse on the document icon, each click will change the document will window to the next document in the order that you opened them.
• Use the windows shortcut key to move documents between multiple monitors.  If you click the Windows key + Shift + Right arrow, your active window will move to the right monitor at the same relative size it was before you moved it.
• Also, Click the Windows button plus the arrow keys to auto-resize your active window.  Windows + up maximizes the window.  Windows + left sizes your window to take up the left half the screen.  Great for viewing docs side by side
• The new calculator app has been given a dose of steroids.  It now includes the following modes: standard, scientific, programmer, statistics, unit conversion (temperature, weight, area, time).   It also has built in mileage, mortgage payments, lease payment and date calculations.

These are just a few of my favorite Windows 7 features.  There are many other cool new features of windows 7 including Jump Lists, Peeking and librarires.