Just When You Though it Was Safe to Leave Your Data..

According to an article on ITnews.com The U.S. government and private businesses need to overhaul the way they look at cyber-security, with the government offering businesses new incentives to fix security problems, the Internet Security Alliance said.

The alliance, in a report released Thursday, also called for permanent international cyber-security collaboration centers, new security standards for VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) communications and programs to educate corporate leaders about the benefits of enhanced cyber-security efforts.

The report, intended as a response to U.S. President Barack Obama's call in May for increased cyber-security efforts, proposes to create more educational programs on risk management for C-level executives. ISA has already begun an education effort aimed at chief financial officers and other executives. The report as a whole focuses largely on changing the economics of cyber-security with incentives and other programs. The warning should come at little to no surprise for both large and small businesses considering how much information is exchanged over the internet.

Consider a hypothetical company that has a VOIP system, a Gmail server, and a cloud computing network that holds all of their sensitive data. This company’s entire communication procedure runs over the internet. Because cyber attacks are relatively inexpensive for the attacker to initiate, and could destroy a company’s infrastructure with a few specific computer codes.

This makes server security even more prevalent to all business owners. Remember that the best defense is a good offense! So get [proactive on your data security before someone else gets proactive on YOUR client list.

Contact me, (jcarrretta@thetnsgroup.com) or see our website for more information on how to keep all of your sensitive data safe and sound.

To Tweet or not To Tweet

Think Twitter is something you don’t need to be concerned with? Think again…

An article on the New York Times website said that Tweets (the 140 characters blurbs that Twitter users can spew at any given moment) will be coming to LinkedIn, the social networking site for professionals. This comes on the heels of announcements by Microsoft and Google that they would incorporate tweets into their search results.

The partnership with LinkedIn affirms Twitter’s role as a network for professional conversation. More than social sites like Facebook, people use Twitter to keep abreast of professional news and share links to articles about their industries.

While Facebook provides more of a social experience complete with pictures, relationships, and fun gaming applications, Twitter has become a news gathering medium that brings the news to users in a quick and concise format. Plus, Twitter is so easy to use that it appeals more to the older, slightly less social network savvy generation of business professionals.

In the article, Allen Blue, LinkedIn’s co-founder and vice president of product strategy said, “Twitter is not only a massively open platform, but also it’s a place where there’s a tremendous amount of professional information already being shared, and we wanted to be sure that was coming to our LinkedIn user base.”

The deal will bring LinkedIn’s 51 million members the ability to send status updates over the LinkedIn network. For example, job postings, partnership opportunities, or business related questions can be proclaimed from an individual’s profile.

People will also be able to add a section to their LinkedIn profile that contains their most recent tweets and view other people’s tweets when searching LinkedIn (similar to the feed on the TNS Group Website).

Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s chief executive, said that he wants LinkedIn to be the hub for all professional conversation. Integrating tweets into LinkedIn will help them find a home where they will become part of someone’s professional identity, and conversations will develop around them, he said.

This move marks only another step in Twitter’s quiet quest to take over the internet. Tweets are everywhere, and are showing no signs of slowing down. This migration onto LinkedIn only reemphasizes the professional need that has now ousted social connective in the world of these networking sites.

Tweet now or forever hold your peace…

The TNS Group

Formerly known as TigerNet Systems, Inc.

Office phone: 203.316.0112 x.105

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Email: jcarretta@thetnsgroup.com

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Fortinet Unveils a New Weapon

Fortinet -- a market-leading network security provider and worldwide leader of unified threat management (UTM) solutions -- today announced a new FortiGate multi-threat security appliance with integrated internet protocol private branch exchange (IP-PBX) functionality, consolidating data and voice over IP (VoIP) security management into a single device.

Aimed at medium and large enterprises with remote and branch offices, the new FortiGate Voice-80C offers organizations easier management of UTM security and PBX functionality by consolidating the two traditionally separate devices into one platform. The FortiGate Voice-80C supports Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), which lowers costs by enabling organizations to use VoIP inside and outside of the local area network (LAN). Additionally, as a complement to the new FortiGate Voice solution, Fortinet will be offering a SIP-compatible handset. The FortiGate Voice-80C is also compatible with most VoIP SIP handsets on the market.

VOIP has been a recent trend in the corporate world. Just as touch tone replaced rotary, slowly VOIP are replacing normal land lines. VOIP systems give offices the ability to seamlessly record calls, bind their office phone to mobile devices, and keep track of voicemails and call records via email. VOIP also allows for seamless text communication that keep employees off sites like Gmail and Facebook and keeps office communication to solely the issues relevant to the office. The only drawback of the VOIP systems is they become vulnerable to outside intrusion and provide a gateway into business servers.

Enter FortiGate:

With Fortinet's new FortiGate Voice-80C, remote and branch offices that are utilizing an analog PBX phone system can now tackle network and VoIP security management simultaneously without the additional investments required for individual hardware devices. For large enterprises that are supporting a growing mobile workforce with multiple voice and data clients, Fortinet's integrated UTM and SIP-compatible IP-PBX solution offers multiple points of protection, while also offering a reduction in the overall operating expenses (OPEX) and capital expenditures (CAPEX) associated with managing multiple devices and maintaining separate voice and data services. SIP permits businesses that have a PBX installed to use VoIP also outside the enterprise network by using the same connection as the Internet connection. It also enables remote offices to communicate with headquarters via VoIP, thus reducing costs by eliminating the need for separate voice and data lines.

In a PR newsletter, founder of Fortinet Michael Xie said the following regarding VOIP security. "Organizations of all sizes have been migrating to a Voice over IP architecture for years and while the benefits of both voice and data transmitting over IP have been proven in the reduction of cost as compared to legacy systems, the management of VoIP and security has historically been approached separately, leading to unnecessary expenses and unwanted security surprises.

Fortinet has been revolutionizing network security and privacy for years, and will continue to do so with the release of Fortigate.

To learn more about Fortinet, and how it can make your business more secure, contact me:

jcarretta@thetnsgroup.com

Your Defense is Offensive

Symantec, the largest maker of security software, and the seventh largest software company in the world has updated its Data-Loss Prevention Suite so that if the software finds a data issue that needs fixing, it can apply third-party encryption and digital-rights management controls to the problem.

According to an article on ITnews.com. the company announced today, Symantec DLP Suite v. 10 will feature a "Flex-Response" capability to find sensitive data that has been left unprotected in the enterprise and apply security controls through encryption and DRM products from vendors such as PGP, Oracle, GigaTrust, Liquid Machines and Microsoft.

Symantec is also publishing a set of open APIs and a software development kit (SDK) to facilitate support for security controls through additional products, says Rob Greer, senior director of product management at Symantec.

Symantec DLP v.10, expected to ship in December, will have a workflow process that can alert managers to data that's out of compliance with corporate DLP policies; let them choose to apply encryption and DRM; and confirm that security policies have been enforced.

In the current business world, company’s place their entire business on the waves on the internet. Tons of sensitive files are placed both on and off site, while millions of e-mails featuring confidential and business sensitive data are transmitted daily. This constant flow of easily accessible information has enabled corporations to achieve the profitability and efficiency. However, with his blessing of lightening fast exchange comes the curse of keeping all of this data safe and secure,.

Symantec’s new software is revolutionary in multiple ways, but its third party component is what really sets it apart from the competition. Anytime a problem can be not only addressed, but fixed before a sure knows about it is an amazing feat. Not only does this avert a possible major problem for a company, but it takes worry off the shoulder of already heavily burdened IT Directors and network managers.

In order for technology to continue to drive the growth of businesses, security software improvements such as this one must continue to keep pace with the ever growing IT aspect of business.

For more information on Security and Privacy solutions offered by The TNS Group, click a link or email me at jcarretta@thetnsgroup.com

Microsoft Bringing the A Game

This Thursday is a very big day in the world of Windows.

Windows 7, Microsoft’s response to the debacle known as Vista will hit shelves on Thursday and will be a tell tale sign for the struggling software maker who is currently getting bombed in the tech market by rival Apple.

Only days after Apple reported an overall profit of $1.67 billion, Windows will launch its ace in the hole in hopes of at least securing the top spot among all operating systems manufacturers.

Ever since the unsuccessful launch of Vista, Microsoft has gone through with a slew of advertisement campaigns that have brought them nothing but a greater comparison to the more brand relevant Apple, whose Mac’s, iPhones, and iPods have changed the landscape of the computer.

Windows 7 is intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being fully compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible. Presentations given by Microsoft in 2008 focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements.

The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch toolbar has been replaced with pinning applications to the task-bar. Buttons for pinned applications are integrated with the task buttons. These buttons also enable the Jump Lists feature to allow easy access to common tasks.

These changes were enacted with the intent of making the system more user friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. Windows goal is to make the system appealing to both new and previous Windows users. Despite new branding efforts, a new hire in the sales position to push the product, and a brand name that consumers recognize, the performance of Windows 7 on the market will come down to how users rate it. Especially with a technology product, word will spread quickly whether Windows 7 is the real deal, or another mistake by Microsoft.

By this time next week, the fate of Windows 7 will be decided.

Be sure to check out our Twitter account for constant updates on the product release.

Joe Carretta

jcarretta@thetnsgroup.com

A Disappointing IT Trend

An article posted on ITnews earlier in the month brought light to a situation that is unfortunate, but reflective of a disappointing national trend.

According to the article, small and medium-size Indian outsourcers are gaining favor with customers during the recession because of the lower prices they can offer, and also because they are willing to take up smaller contracts, according to Forrester Research.

While large corporations (Dell example number 1) often choose to ship their It departments overseas, lately large IT corporation have seen a drop in business. Reluctant to drop prices, and an inability to communicate the value of going with a large IT firm has steered many companies who choose to outsource overseas to smaller, less expensive IT firms.

Another factor is the magnitude of business that these smaller firms are winning. Large Indian outsourcers are not keen on small orders of less than about US$6 million a year, the article said. As large Indian outsourcers like Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys Technologies start competing with the likes of IBM and Accenture, their focus is on large deal sizes, which leaves a significant part of the market vacant for smaller players.

While IT support coming from overseas may not seem like anything new, there is an alarming trend here. By taking business to overseas IT companies, corporations are taking business away from small to mid-sized IT firms here in the US. With the economy already deep into a recession, companies who take even more business away from an anemic economy are doing more damage than anything, no matter how much money they might be saving.

By choosing a local IT firm, not only are you doing justice for your fellow American workers, but you are calling upon a service that you can actually come face to face with when you have a problem. IT is a sector of business that must be running properly at all times. In the event of some major IT problem, the piece of mind of knowing that your IT services provider is close to home outweighs any amount of numerical savings.

Do the right thing, and keep IT here in America.

If you are as small business in search of superior and local IT support, check out our website, or email me at joecarretta@thetnsgroup.com

Is your Data Protected?

VMware is continuing to push the boundaries of their company by expanding outside of their once settled comfort zone of virtualization. VMware’s Site Recovery Manager is now supporting vSphere, eliminating one of the obstacles preventing customers from upgrading to the latest version of VMware’s virtualization platform, according to an article on CNET.com

vSphere 4, the successor to ESX Server 3.5, was unveiled in April but until now did not work with Site Recovery Manager, VMware’s software for recovering virtual machines in case of disaster. VMware on Monday released SRM version 4, with support for vSphere and other upgrades including a “many-to-one failover [that] protects multiple production sites with automated failover into a single, shared recovery site.”

This gives corporations a bit of relaxation when deciding to virtualize their operations. It can be difficult to fathom undertaking such a large scale IT operation and not knowing that your precious data will be backed up in the event of some kind of system failure.

The TNS Group understands this need, and is able to successfully provide customers with VMware’s newest product. While virtualization is cost effective and wise in its own respect, it can only be considered sound if some sort of DR system is in place, especially for large scale companies with precious data strewn throughout their server. This is why TNS is the place to turn for all your IT needs. We can ensure that not only will you be satisfied with your work, but you will remain satisfied when years later everything is still working and saving you more money by the second.

Make the right choice; update your network today with The TNS Group

Joe Carretta