March 29, 2012

IT Checklist for Your New Office

Are you in charge of setting up a new office for your business? Here’s a list of some of the items you will need to consider as you plan your new IT infrastructure.

Moving a business to a new location is a lot of work, especially when it comes to technology. Will you have the right equipement and infrastructure ready to go when you open your doors to clients?

To help you with your move, we have put together this IT checklist for your new office. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it should give you a better understanding of the kinds of technology you’ll need to consider as you plan your new office build-out.

Hardware to Consider

• Desktop computers and monitors
• Keyboards and mouses
• Printers
• Server
• Modems
• Laptops
• Scanners
• Surge protectors
• Projector

Software to Consider

• Word processing software
• Presentation software
• Virus protection software
• Accounting software
• Payment processing software
• E-commerce software
• Inventory management software

Communication

• Telephone line
• Desktop phones
• Cellular phones
• Internet connection
• Toll-free line
• Fax machine

Should You Hire a Project Manager?

Every business is unique and will require careful consideration and planning when setting up an effective IT infrastructure. You may want to consider hiring an experienced Project Manager to handle your new office build-out.

Along with helping you choose the right equipment for your business, a great project manager will help your business coordinate the following:

• IT purchases and installations
• Electrical wiring, flooring, lighting and other construction needs
• Furnishings and office layout
• New or upgraded network server and equipement installation
• Installation and migration of workspaces
• Website development and design
• And more, depending on the individual needs of your business

For professional help planning your new office build-out, contact AMRCON. We offer Project Management and Office Build-out Services to businesses in New Jersey and New York. We look forward to hearing from you!

February 29, 2012

What is a Help Desk?

You’ve probably heard the term “Help Desk” before. But have you ever wondered what it really is and how it fits into your business’ IT infrastructure?

Photo by Horia Varlan

These days, businesses rely on technology to maintain the efficiency and success of their operations. That’s why maintaining an effective IT infrastructure is so crucial. Without it, a business can’t function at its top performance level.

Outsourcing your IT department to a managed services provider (MSP) is the first step to ensuring your IT infrastructure runs effectively. A great MSP will be able to anticipate problems before they arise or fix them before they become big issues that slow your business down.

However, there are some problems that cannot be predicted. They are bound to arise without notice and, in those cases, it helps to have a backup plan to nip the issue in the bud.

That’s where the help desk comes into play.

A help desk is a resource designed to provide IT users with information and assistance regarding problems with their IT infrastructure. So when a problem arises you’ll have a resource to troubleshoot the issue and resolve it.

A help desk can take many forms. Sometimes it’s a person sitting behind a desk. Sometimes it’s a call-center. Sometimes, it’s simply a list of questions and answers posted online to help IT users solve technology-related issues.

What makes AMRCON’s help desk so great?

AMRCON’s ultimate goal is to help your business succeed no matter what. This includes helping you keep your IT expenses in check. Sending an IT technician to your office doesn’t make sense if the problem can be fixed remotely.

Our help desk is designed to fix minor problems before they become big problems. No matter the time of day, our on-demand support team will be available to assist you in resolving your technology issues. We offer 24/7 support along with network monitoring and alerting so problems can be identified and fixed right away.

If this sounds like a service you think your business would benefit from, contact us to learn more.

January 18, 2012

What is a managed services provider (MSP)?

AMRCON is a managed services provider, but what does that mean? And why should you care?

A managed services provider (MSP) is an IT services provider that assumes the responsibilities of managing and monitoring a business’s information technology needs. These needs typically include network monitoring, remote data backup, network security, and other state-of-the-art technology services like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

Think of a managed services provider as an outsourced IT department whose sole responsibility is to make sure your IT systems continue to operate at their peek performance levels.

By monitoring your network 24 hours a day, seven days a week, an MSP can help your business avoid many information technology problems before they become an issue, and, if a problem does occur, an experienced MSP technician can troubleshoot and resolve your problem efficiently.

So when disaster strikes, like that hurricane that swept through Matawan last August, a managed services provider can help your business continue running with as little interruption as possible, potentially saving you from substantial productivity and revenue losses.

A MSP could save your business a lot of money.

For many businesses, outsourcing their IT support services is far more cost-effective than setting up and supporting in-house IT equipment.

Plus, for a managed services provider like AMRCON, information technology is our expertise. We have the time and resources to keep your business’s IT system up-to-date and functioning like a well-oiled machine.

In other words, by contracting a managed services provider to handle your IT needs, you’re giving yourself more time to think about running your business, with limited interruptions due to IT issues.

Think your business would benefit from contracting a managed services provider? Give AMRCON a call today. We would be happy to talk with you about our managed services and how we can make your business more efficient.

October 26, 2011

Does my business need a spam filter?

These days, the number of emails a business receives in the course of a day is reaching epic proportions. Some business owners receive so much email in their inboxes, they almost need to hire someone extra just to sort through all the junk.

It’s called “inbox overload,” and it’s making a lot of us crazy.

The last thing you want to do is waste hours a week sifting through your inbox when you have much more important tasks at hand.

That’s why a spam filter is an essential tool for business today. You’re basically hiring an “employee” to take a magnifying glass to each and every email that enters your network. And the best part is, your email-filtering-employee doesn’t even need health insurance.

Your new employee works morning, noon, and night, maintaining a constant vigil over your inbox. If an email passes several tests of authenticity, it is sent to your inbox. If it raises red flags, it’s quarantined.

Sounds simple, right? Well, unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. Not all spam filters are created equal.

What makes ODS Spam Guard unique?

Unlike most spam and virus filters, ODS Spam Guard is a managed service. That means using ODS Spam Guard requires no alterations to your existing email configurations, and you’ll have a real person to talk to if something ever goes wrong.

It’s like your hiring a whole team of employees to keep your inbox clean (for a fraction of the cost).

Here’s how ODS Spam Guard works:

1. Emails that enter through a server are immediately captured with Email Catch, even if the server is down for repair or maintenance. This means senders will never receive an embarrassing bounce-back message.
2. Emails are then sent through a sophisticated Anti-virus Filter. Messages infected with viruses, spyware, phishing, or malware are automatically quarantined to protect the server from potential harm.
3. Emails identified as virus-free are sent through an advanced Anti-spam Filter, where a constantly updated spam identification product blocks and intercepts suspicious emails and sends them to the quarantine box.
4. Finally, a user-friendly interface enables users to manage the quarantine box in significantly less time than with standard spam filters, while providing simple self-administration for white and black lists.

The end result: an inbox that’s filled with email that’s 98% clear of spam and a quarantine box that takes only minutes to review.

Managing inbox overload just got a whole lot easier. Learn more about ODS Spam Guard.

September 29, 2011

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Hosted or On-site?

Voice over Internet Protocol (Voice over IP or VoIP) is a technology that lets you make phone calls over an IP data network, whether on the Internet or on your organization’s internal IT network.

In other words, it’s a phone system that is transmitted over the Internet instead of the phone company’s network.

Many businesses have taken advantage of this technology because it is often more reliable than classic phone lines, and it’s a cheaper option.

If you’ve never heard of VoIP before, you’ve probably heard of a popular, free version of the technology—Skype.

Why Skype is the Wrong Choice for Most Businesses

Skype lets users place phone calls over the Internet to other Skype users. Users also have the option to participate in video chats.

It’s a great technology for family video chats and friendly phone calls, but it has no place in business. Skype is often unreliable, and you are required to pay for phone calls you make to non-Skype phones. Over time, those charges can really add up.

Your clients need to be able to reach you, and Skype just doesn’t provide that kind of reliable service.

So, What are My Options?

If you’d like to setup a VoIP phone system in your office (and we highly suggest you do), you basically have two options: on-site or hosted.

On-site

An on-site VoIP system requires an in-house server to run the phone system software. The software provides the virtual environment for your incoming and outgoing calls, and voicemail. The server is connected to the Internet and listens for calls on Session Initial Protocol (SIP) lines. A third party hosts these SIP lines. They receive the initial call, send it to your server, and—voila—your phone rings.

The downside: If you lose power or Internet access, you’re only as good as your backup battery and Internet service. Basically, you’re at the mercy of the telephone poles that carry your services.

Hosted

Hosted solutions take the on-site server out of the equation. The hosting company manages the SIP lines, accepts calls into their data system where your virtual phone system is hosted, and sends the calls over the Internet directly to your desktop VoIP phone.

We recommend the hosted VoIP solution because it takes voice communications—an essential component of business—out of the office and provides real-time continuity. Hosted providers have everything needed to keep your phone lines up and running—backup generators, multiple Internet lines, and a trained staff.

Find Your Solution

AMRCON has partnered with VoiceNEXT right here in New Jersey to bring you a fully integrated VoIP hosted solution of the highest quality.

We highly recommend a consultation with their exceptionally qualified staff. We manage the data and systems; they manage the voice communications. It’s a match made in, well, New Jersey. Contact us to learn more.