Exchange 2010: Optimized Flexibility

Microsoft's release of Exchange Server back in October 9, 2010 promised to offer more flexibility and availability options to make your experience with their already promising software easy and quick to use. The new features aim at lowering your IT costs, making access with other devices simpler, and improving protection and compliance.

Exchange 2010 can lower your IT costs by new levels of service at an affordable price with a larger mailbox size so users won't need to constantly managing it. Greater choice of storage hardware options and new administrative advances that allow you to delegate common or specialized tasks to your users without providing them full administrative rights are part of the feature set that are sure to your IT operation costs by 50%-%80.

You can cut costs on phones as well by using the new automated voice mail system that gives users full customization and the Active Sync built-in capability that's compatible with almost all smart phones.

E-mail control has never been better and efficient while saving you money and effort. E-mail archiving is automatic, searchable, and legally compliant for all users. More features are now also available for sensitive messages, alerting users to data risks and policy violations, and many new and improved transport rules.

SharePoint: Office Collaboration Evolved

In our last post we featured Microsoft's solution to instant messaging in the workplace, which incorporated a small fraction of the cloud's power; the power to collaborate in real time. Microsoft has also released a Web technology based server for companies to manage they're sites easily. Debuted in 2001, Microsoft SharePoint evolved from a combination of Frontpage, Office Server Extensions, and "Team Pages" built on share technology with Exchange and the "Digital Dashboard". After releasing versions 03', 07', and 10', SharePoint has become a suit of software made to manage your website cooperatively with people in the rest of your development team. The suit consists of Microsoft SharePoint Server, Search Server, Foundation, and Designer.

The first and most vital software in the suit is Microsoft SharePoint Server utilizing a powerful Microsoft SQL Server for data storage, essentially handles all site content data. Sites on SharePoint are ASP.NET 2.0 web applications that are served using IIS and a SQL Server database as a data storage back end.

Released in March 2008 as Search Server 2008, the handy search tool provided in the suit works in hand with Windows Search. For both the querying engine and the indexer, SharePoint Server shares its architectural underpinnings with the Windows Search platform. And for easy metadata editing Microsoft Office Search Server allows you to search metadata attached to documents.

Formerly known as Windows SharePoint Services, SharePoint Foundation is a free add-on that gives users access to a web portal with great tools for adding features like sharing, content management, and security.

Then finally there's SharePoint Designer, which used to be Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 (although they're not compatible); a great way for web developers to edit web pages without having to edit the code itself, relieving a very stressful process of web development.

With Microsoft Visual Studio on the way as well, developers using SharePoint will have a lot to look forward to in this powerful family of software. Are you already using SharePoint? Well upload a short video illustrating how SharePoint has helped your business and you could win a pass to the Microsoft SharePoint Conference in Disneyland.

Microsoft Lync: Messenger for the Workplace

Microsoft has always striven to provide us with the best in office communication. Now they are taking the next big step and Lync will pave the way. At first glance Lync (formerly) Microsoft Office Communicator, just looks similar to the popular Windows Live Messenger, but it's actually more than that. It's an instant messaging client with it's own server, backed up by a bunch of useful enterprise features. Practical for any business, Lync can connect you with your co-workers like never before.

Lync's feature set includes retrieving contact lists from local directory services, file sharing, availability synchronized with your Outlook calender, collaboration on software: PowerPoint, Whiteboard, and applications like desktop sharing, customized polling lists, and sharing other windows applications as well. Microsoft recently gave a demo on video conferences using Lync. And with TLS and SRTP support on a Microsoft Office Communications Server local server, all interactions are secure and organized.

Rumors are already flying around about Kinect compatibility. Luckily, those of you who have already purchased Kinect, have already discovered the power of Video Kinect; an update making it possible for Kinect consoles to video chat. And that is just a small taste of what Lync can offer to growing and starting businesses. Microsoft also announced, back in fall 2010, that they bought 3D gesture sensing technology firm, Canesta. With glasses free 3D-televisions already on the horizons, there's no telling what's possible.

Lync wants to simply bring all the wonderful aspects of being a "PC" together into one powerful, working tool.

Blackberry Enterprise Server

Some of you may already be aware of BES and probably already use it, but for those you Blackberry owners still in the dark, Research In Motion (creators of the Blackberry and first-party applications) have a service exclusive to Blackberries called Blackberry Enterprise Server. BES is a premium service and software available to any Blackberry owners which allows them to sync to servers, desktop workstations, and mobile devices. Utilizing Microsoft Exchange, the software can redirect emails, synchronize contacts and calenders, and also connects to messaging and collaboration software on enterprise networks. This is an ideal service for an on-the-go white collar, stay connected with your work from anywhere in the world.

The service works with BES Express software that must be installed into the designated working server by your server's administrator. The software for the server is available online for free but to have the service on your mobile you must pay for the service through your service provider. Once the server's administrator sets up your account, your mobile will automatically synchronize.

The most stunning feature of the BES is having the capability to edit, create, and delete files on your server that your Blackberry can read. This works hand in hand with apps like Docs To Go (Microsoft Word for Mobiles) or Excel To Go. This makes it possible to collaborate with your coworkers from anywhere.

For those of you who want to avoid the extra cost or just don't have the right plan from your service provider, there is a way to synchronize, at no cost, your contacts and calenders only. You can do this by installing the Blackberry Desktop Software on your computer and then hook up your phone using the USB cable provided in your Blackberry's packaging. Once you've went through the set up process wait for the synchronization to finish and your all set. Note: This can synchronize your media as well.

Later in 2011 RIM is also planning on releasing Blackberry Enterprise Application Middleware (BEAM); an application that will make file transfers between your phone and server easier and faster.

Office 2010 Review

Microsoft's Office 2010 can help people, students, and businesses of all types to work cooperatively and efficiently. Whether your looking to start a business, class, or project, Office 2010 is sure to help you from the office, the classroom, or home.

Let's start with the more affordable Home and Student Edition; offering the classic Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote. Word can help you with anything document related, it's automated editing system allows you to type the perfect document in no time. PowerPoint can help you with those important presentations at the office, or get a good grade for that big project at school. Excel allows for companies to keep track of all those numbers with there automated formula system. And finally OneNote allows for workgroups to collaborate by sharing pictures, videos, ideas, and even internet clippings.

Now ideally for businesses; Home and Business Edition comes with the first four applications plus the personal information manager; Outlook. Allowing you to organize your busy life with calenders, task managers, contact managers, and of course manage all your email across all your accounts.

The Standard Edition gives you the first five along with Publisher, which lets you customize the layout of any set of documents. It comes with the new "ribbon" feature, a convenient and dynamic toolbar being introduced to most of Office 2010's applications.

The Professional Edition gives you the first six including Access, a great application for managing databases such as memberships, logins, etc.

And finally the Professional Plus Edition gives you all the aforementioned applications along with InfoPath and SharePoint. InfoPath handles all your XML-based data entry forms. SharePoint which integrates with InfoPath, gives teams, compromising of people with different security clearance or none at all, the power to share documents on and off-line.

So no matter what type of work you or your work group need to get done, Microsoft's Office 2010 is sure to help you get the job done. All this software is available to vStation users and more.

Working from Office vs. Home

In today's office workplace, believe it or not, employees can encounter more distractions than at home. Whether it be watching Youtube videos, taking a smoke break, or simply chatting with co-workers, the office workplace can present many ways to kill those long hours. But I bet your thinking "some of those distractions can be at home, as well". Most employees aren't as tempted to 'goof off' when working at home.

Employees will give their employers as much time as they're willing to pay for. This doesn't mean they have to be efficient with that time. Most office hours are from 8am to 5pm, taking away the half-to-an-hour long lunch, that gives the person eight hours to attend to their assignments. Finishing assignments quickly, only results in having to start another task. Not really giving the person much incentive in maximizing performance. And I won't even mention the frequent office politics, constant meetings, interruptions, and information overload that you only encounter in the office.

Working at home however, there's a less pressured environment, not to mention the comfort-ability. No co-workers around to bug or bug you, no meetings, no politics, just you and your computer. And with applications that cloud computing can offer, working from home could never be easier.

When Tablets Attack

This year's CES (Consumer Electronics Show) didn't surprise anyone with a wave of companies showing off their exclusive tablets. Each spokesperson boasting their "futuristic" transition into these touchscreen only mini-computers. Companies such as Samsung; debuting their (wi-fi)-only Galaxy Tab, Motorola's Xoom; running the powerful Android OS(3.0), or Dell's Streak; a pocket-sized, more affordable tablet. Sure they're pretty, stylish, and easy to use but have we forgotten they still need wi-fi or cellular connection to be web accessible. With wi-fi, your stuck in that hot zone, and let's not even mention the peculiar promises of 4G. Even so people are already planning on replacing their laptops with these new toys. How can companies who who have yet to jump on the band wagon, compete?

I think all of us saw this coming. With the release of the popular IPad in April 2010, people rushed to the stores to get their hands on the long waited enlarged version of their ITouch. With it's 9.7 liquid crystal display, 1Gz processor, and weighing only 1.5 pounds, people salivated over the possibilities for third party applications. In the first 4 months, Apple sold over 4.19 million IPads worldwide.

Fear not though, for laptop manufacturers still have a few tricks up there sleeves. Toshiba unveiled a new installment in their popular line of Portege laptops; the Portege R705. Running on an Intel Core I3 processor, featuring an HDMI port for routing to TV's, and surprisingly affordable, this almost perfect laptop is sure to put up a fight in the onslaught of tablets. Toshiba also diving into the idea of 3D laptops, but not just any 3D laptop. Toshiba introduced a prototype of glasses-free 3D laptops. That's right, play media on your laptop in 3D without having to wear those goofy, expensive glasses.

There also was of course other familiar candidates at the CES such as the Macbook Pro and the Alienware M17x gaming laptop with 3D support. So don't go saying farewell to the notebook just yet, take a second thought. It's obvious all these great laptops turned just as many heads as tablets did.

The Rise and Fall of Social Networks

Most of us have seen the transition in social networking, from Friendster to Myspace, Myspace to Facebook. Each having their primes and falls. In January 2, 2011 Facebook recieved $500 million through investments from Goldman Sachs and Digital Sky Technologies; a Russian investment firm that has already invested about $500 million in Facebook, placing the popular social sites' valuation at $50 billion. This deal would undoubtedly ensure CEO Mark Zuckerberg's place in the market as interest grows in social media sites. But how long until the next big social network takes over?

Friendster's creation in 2002 by Jonathan Abrams, Peter Chin, and Dave Lee, put social sites under the spotlight. People just found something so appealing about the idea of connecting with people without having to leave your house. The site allowed you to create a profile and "friend" anyone of your choosing, you could then share media and messages with your friends. With 115 million registered users and over 61 million unique visitors a month globally, it's held it's ground up until now.

However social sites didn't really boom until the release of Myspace in 2003. Myspace became the most popular social networking site in the United States in June 2006. Tom Anderson applied the same idea as Friendster, only adding the feature to edit the html coding of your homepage. This gave users the ultimate customization tool, but also created a rift between users. Some found that idea too complicated, "we just want a simple social site...".

So to the rescue comes Mark Zuckerberg, with the release of Facebook in 2004, the gloves were off. The simple social site allowed users to share media, messages, and made social networking easier between people. Becoming a household name in 2008, it overtook Myspace with over 500 million users to date. Myspace now employs over 1,000 employees after laying off 30% of its work force.

This is all similar to how a child begins ignoring his old toy when given a new one. It's only a matter of time before we find another toy to play with. After the recent deal we can all guess that Facebook has a long way to go before it sees that graveyard. But let's see how long it takes before people give Facebook the cold shoulder.

Planet Virtual Outsourced IT Company

For those of you who have looked around our ever evolving world of computing and wondered; when will the future arrive? Who will deliver the future? How? If you haven't realized it, the future is here. Imagine being someone who wants to start a small business, and in this small business your going to have employees who are working through computers; which need maintenance, constantly updating information, which would be stored on a server. Whether you may or may not know about computers, keeping your server up and running can be an arduous task, and an expensive one. So how can you virtually connect with your co-workers without the hassle of maintaining the server?

The answer is simple, a cloud computing solution. Cloud computing allows you to cooperate with people in your "cloud" through internet based connections and software, which means no server troubles and money saved. Any and all data can be stored inside the cloud by anyone given access to it. That data can then be accessed from any computer at anytime. This creates a constant connection between you and your co-workers so your all thinking simultaneously as one.

Cloud computing makes it possible for employees to work from home, the office, or just about anywhere there's a computer with internet access. This type of communication is the future. The future is here, the future is now.