Panurgy Newsletter

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September 2006
In this issue...

>IT Partner Expectations
>Server Upgrade
>Wireless Update
>Virtual Meetings
>Security Options
>Microsoft Tip

Microsoft Office
PowerPoint Tip

Create Your
Own Template

You want a customized template for your Microsoft PowerPoint® presentations that includes your organization's name and a unique background, with the colors and font styles of your choice.

How do you create it and make it available for later use within PowerPoint?

After completing this course you will be able to:

◘ Create a new template based on the Default Design template in PowerPoint.

◘ Get the background images, colors, fonts, and text you want.

◘ Add variety by giving title slides their own design.

◘ Make your template available for future use.

SEE DEMO!

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Phone:
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7 Things to Expect from Your IT Partner
By Jeff Wuorio
Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center at http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness.

Your information-technology partner business should be just that — a partner in every sense of the word. On the surface, that may sound a little warm and fuzzy, and possibly a bit optimistic. Some IT consultants may focus on fulfilling your basic needs. They provide you technology advice and supply whatever tangible products and service are necessary to facilitate your needs.

But what you should reasonably expect from an IT "partner" goes well beyond that. They should take a vested interest in your business, providing the benefits and guidance that are central to your company's growth and success.

Here are seven things to expect from your IT partner:

8 Signs You Need to Upgrade Your Server
By Christopher Elliott
Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center at http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness.

Your server hardware is a ticking time bomb. Don't be alarmed. It may never actually "blow up" — which is to say, melt down and take lots of data with it. But one day, sooner or later, it will become obsolete. And for your business, that's potentially an explosive liability.

"The older hardware is, the more likely that a failure and loss of productivity will occur," warns Donald Hess, senior systems engineer at Entre Computer Services, a systems integrator based in Rochester, N.Y. "In general, a company can avoid big expenses by updating its servers every three years. If it waits five years, then there's a big risk of being compelled to upgrade many components simultaneously." Ouch.

Wireless Security Update
Learn about the new wireless security protocol 802.11w, scheduled to be released in April 2008, as well as what you need to do to protect your wireless network in the meantime.

More than likely, you and your employees use wireless networks, and are well aware of its many advantages. However, wireless networks are not as secure as wired networks. Protocols such as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) have been developed with the intent to provide security to wireless users.The current wireless protocols deal with two main security issues: access control and privacy. Access control is the ability to determine who is allowed to enter your network. Privacy deals with hiding information from hackers who may try to intercept information during transmission. WEP and WPA address these issues by providing password protection for access control and encryption for privacy. However, there are certain limitations with both of these protocols.

Virtual Meetings Cut Travel Costs
By Monte Enbysk
Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center at http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness

The travel industry has taken its hits in recent years, and I hate to add to it. But in good times or bad, your business needs to scrutinize its travel budget to find ways to cut costs. This isn't about safety. The skies are much safer these days. This is about economics. With today's "virtual meeting" technologies, you can boost your business's productivity and avoid extended trips and unnecessary travel costs.

Sizing Up Your Security Options
Summary: Learn about security solutions and technology you can use to protect your business.

Every business is unique with regards to the technology it employs and relies upon to conduct business. For that reason, it is important to choose the solutions that best fit your business needs. Creating a security plan, following through, and updating solutions as technology changes will help protect your business, while you focus on what matters most – running your business successfully.

Recommendations
First, you need to assess your current IT environment in order to help determine your security needs. Looking at what types of technology you use, including prioritizing your information assets will help you determine how to allocate your resources. For example, if your business collects and stores sensitive data such as customers' confidential information, securing that information should be a priority. After assessing your business' security needs, the next step is to implement security solutions to deal with the various threats that affect your Internet connections, email, networks, and data.

You can mitigate threats and create a more secure computing environment by both educating employees and installing security solutions to bolster your infrastructure. Areas to address include: