Microsoft’s marketshare increases in the collaboration and content management system markert.

More than 300 companies began the migration to Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange and Sharepoint Server most of whom were former users of IBM’s Lotus Notes / Domino communication and collaboration software.

Microsoft offers a free suite of tools designed to help companies migrate from Notes/Domino to Outlook/Exchange/Sharepoint.  The free migration tool is aimed at companies with hundreds of thousands of users.

About 101 million corporate mailboxes run Notes today.  But 304 million e-mail boxes will run Outlook and Exchange by 2011. 

The migration software, bundled as Microsoft Transporter Suite, focuses on moving Lotus Domino 6 and 7 users to a system based around Windows Server 2003, Exchange Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.  The software divides the migration into batches of users or applications and this division is seen as a real improvement among IT experts.

According to a white paper by Excipio Consulting LLC, the cost of migrating a 30,000 employee business would be $6.6 million for all software, developers and extra support staffers.  But, by employing the Microsoft migration software, a company could expect to save up to $1.5 million per year by using Microsoft.

Digital Reach Inc., is positioned to help your company migrate to Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint.  For more information about IT system migration, click here.

Digital Reach, Inc., a Dallas, Texas based firm, specializes in delivering cutting-edge IT solutions that evolve with your business. We focus on individually designed solutions that meet your specific requirements and retain several key certifications. Our entire company works as one large team of experienced, forward-thinking experts who are passionate about what they do. It is this passion that allows us to offer you the latest IT solutions in the ever-changing technology environment.

Finjan Inc. reports that attackers infected at least 10,000 trusted web sites with malware last month using the Random.JS Trojan toolkit.  Random.JS is an exceptionally sneaky Trojan that infects the targeted machine and sends data from the machine back to the attackers controlling it via the Internet.  The information that is stolen includes documents, passwords, surfing habits and other forms of compromising information.

“Random.JS uses varying methods to remain undetected and keep spreading,” he said. “It is able to break antivirus signatures and store malware on legitimate sites.” The Random.JS toolkit is a piece of JavaScript code that morphs every time it is accessed, Ben-Itzhak said. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to detect with traditional signature-based anti-malware products.

The Random.JS attack is performed by dynamic embedding of scripts into a Web page, he said. It provides a random filename that can only be accessed once and is done in such a selective manner that when a user receives an infected page once, it will not be referenced again on further requests. This method prevents detection of the malware in later forensic analyses.

The list of attack toolkits includes MPack, NeoSploit, IcePack, WebAttacker, WebAttacker2 and MultiExploit, along with newer toolkits like Random.JS, vipcrypt, makemelaugh and dycrypt.

Security vendors warn of the rising use of attack toolkits in recent months.

Are your systems protected?  Let Digital Reach assess your network security strategy.

Smart-phones are set to become the next major security challenge for IT according to a CompTIA survey conducted this year.  The survey polled 1070 small businesses in North America and 60% reported they had seen an increase in security issues related to the use of hand-help computing devices over the last year.  The concern is if businesses will view the risk as too great a burden to place on their IT departments and will instead ban the use of them within their corporate environments.  Many IT services firms are preparing for a whole new generation of security applications for mobile devices and how to secure access.

These handheld computing devices give workers the ability to work while “on-the-go” by allowing access to key information residing back at the work or home office.  But, this simple access to information is creating a growing set of security concerns for companies.  Mobile users requesting access to the company network remotely is a potential security threat.  The fear is that a virus could potentially jump from phone to phone to network much like pc-to-pc worms and viruses have done in the past.

Business-oriented smart-phones come from the manufacturer with decent built-in protection like encryption and firewalls.  But, smart phones geared more toward the consumer market have far fewer safety features in place.

To learn more about data security and data protection, click here.

At Digital Reach, our knowledgeable team specializes in helping you:

• Stay productive wherever you are with security-enhanced access to information and resources from virtually any PC with Internet access.
• Store your key data in a single, secure location, so your people can always find and share the information they need.
• Help safeguard your information - and your business - with automatic data backup and recovery.
• Use your Windows Mobile® devices to access contacts, calendars, and more - from just about anywhere, at any time.

As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, we are experts at Microsoft® Windows® Small Business Server 2003 R2 deployments. By delivering advanced functionality designed specifically for small businesses, this complete, affordable network solution can help you make the most of your IT investment.

Plus, with a knowledgeable partner to help implement your server solution, you can be confident that your systems will be running smoothly, so you can focus on what really matters: growing your business.

Contact us today for a technology assessment.

Kris Lamberth of Digital Reach, Inc. Earns CISSP Certification

Dallas / Ft. Worth IT Services firm Digital Reach, Inc., today announced that Kris Lamberth has earned the prestigious Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification. This certification is issued by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, or ((ISC)². (ISC)² is a non-profit organization that educates and certifies information security professionals worldwide. Click here to view the full press release.

According to a new survey by ILM Audit 2007, data archiving and disaster recovery are likely to lead the storage related IT concerns for 2008.  The Audit reveals that IT departments top five storage related concerns are:

1. Disaster Recovery
2. File Archiving
3. Email Archiving
4. Data Backup
5. Database Archiving

59% percent of IT departments credit Disaster Recovery as their top concern for data storage related considerations.  The report further announced that 84% of IT executives stated that storage vendors should be doing more to improve the energy efficiency of their products. The issue brings us the “green” storage topic which is expected to gain even larger ground in 2008 and beyond.

In addition to the top 5 storage concerns were: Continuous Data Protection, Encryption of Archived Data, Storage Management/ILM, Storage Resource Management, and Secondary Storage Consolidation.

According to the report, the proportion of companies holding over 1TB on primary storage has increased from 59% in 2006 to 73% in the 2007 ILM Audit. And at the top end, one in five (21%) of all companies are now holding over 10TB of data on primary storage. But the research also reveals that between 30 to 50 percent of data held on primary storage is inactive and unlikely to be accessed again.

When asked what factors are driving interest in data archiving, the top issue highlighted by the survey sample was disaster recovery followed by regulatory compliance and data growth.

Discover why companies in Texas and beyond trust Digital Reach with for Data Backup, Storage, and Recovery.

With Windows Server 2008 nearing a final release in the coming months, Microsoft has whetted our appetites by announcing details and pricing about each specific edition of the upcoming server OS. As would be expected, Windows Server 2008 comes in a number of varieties, most of which are offspring from Windows Server 2003.

Whether you want to implement, upgrade, or combine infrastructures, our network and server solutions deliver centralized control, efficiency, and reliability.  Our network designers can evaluate your current and proposed IT environment, and design a strategy based on functionality, reliability, and scalability. We then provide options for implementation. Once completed, we will employ our Managed IT Services to maintain it for you or transition the infrastructure to your team for maintenance. - Digital Reach, Inc.

When Microsoft releases Windows Server 2008 this coming February, five versions of the product will be available. While that may seem like a decent amount, consider that seven editions of Windows Server 2003 are currently available—not counting variants such as Small Business Server and Windows Storage Server.

It’s also worth noting that, unlike Vista’s editions, a clear line is drawn between the different versions of Windows Server. And unlike many home users, the typical system administrator knows which server edition is best suited for his hardware and infrastructure, leaving little room for confusion.

Without further delay, the following is Microsoft’s starting lineup for Windows Server 2008 along with their respective MSRP:

Windows Server 2008 Standard: $999 with five client access licenses
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise: $3,999 with 25 client access licenses
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter: $2,999 per processor
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems: $2,999 per processor
Windows Web Server 2008: $469
Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V: $971 with five client access licenses
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V: $3,971 with 25 client access licenses
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V: $2,971 per processor
Every version of the operating system will be available in both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures except for Windows Server for Itanium-based Systems, which will only come in the 64-bit flavor. Microsoft’s virtualization technology, termed Hyper-V, will ship with 64-bit versions of the server. Hyper-V will not be available for Windows Web Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems, as they are targeted at specific workloads. According to the company (and seen in the prices above), the Hyper-V functionality will cost enterprises an extra US$28. Companies such as Dell, IBM, HP, and Unisys have previously committed to creating solutions based on Hyper-V.

Will Windows Server 2008 adoption rates be higher than that of Windows Server 2003 when it was released in April 2003? Based on my experience, most system administrators are excited for new features such as Server Core, Hyper-V, and Internet Information Systems 7 to name a few; however, many admins have a tendency to stay away from the bleeding edge of server technology, and for good reason.

Source: arstechnica.com

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Digital Reach will help you understand the ever-changing IT environment.  If you need IT Support, IT Consulting, IT Outsourcing or an entire infrastructure redesign, our proactive approach will help you make the most of your IT situation.

Yes you can. Exchange Server 2007 built-in Windows Mobile support is designed to eliminate the need to purchase additional server-side hardware or software. And technical support is provided through support agreements already in place for many Exchange Server 2007 customers.

Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile is designed to reduce complexity and cost
and improve functionality. By making use of the native functionality of Exchange Server and Live Communications Server 2007, businesses can deploy powerful instant messaging (IM) capabilities for a low acquisition cost. Familiar with Windows, employees may require less training, raising the return on investment.

Many of the components of the Microsoft mobile solution are already in place in the infrastructure of many enterprises. All a business may have to do is make use of the native functionality of Exchange Server and Office Live Communications Server 2007 to enjoy the benefits of Windows Mobile. In addition, many of the Windows Mobile powered components work with existing collaborative applications and line-of-business systems.

To find out more about Digital Reach click here.

The following Microsoft mobile technologies can be packaged in various configurations to meet your business objectives for mobile enablement:

Windows Mobile 6: Windows Mobile 6 also offers the most advanced mobile suite of Microsoft Office applications to date, helping users manage and review documents on their Windows Mobile 6 powered device. It offers real-time access to the Microsoft Office Outlook ® messaging and collaboration client; provides enhanced control and visibility of calendar information such as calendar bars; and the ability to view e-mails with pictures, tables, lines, and formatting. Windows Mobile 6 also offers the most advanced mobile suite of Microsoft Office applications to date, helping users manage and review
documents on any Windows Mobile 6 powered device. In addition, users get live links to Web and portal sites and Windows Live™ network or Internet services for Windows Mobile.

Windows Vista–based mobile computers: Helps sales representatives use their mobile computers (laptops, Tablet PCs, ultrathin laptops, etc.) as a mobile office, connect more securely to business networks, and obtain and share more information when in the field.

Exchange Server 2007 with Office Outlook 2007, Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access, or Office Outlook Mobile: Helps provide security-enhanced mobile access to e-mail, voice mail, calendars, and contacts on a variety of mobile computers and devices.

Office Enterprise 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint ® Server 2007, and Office Groove 2007: Extends rich communication, collaboration, and coordination capabilities to mobile employees.

CRM Mobile Express: Provides sales teams with access to critical customer information and tools that enhance their ability to sell and manage their time effectively.

Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 with Office Communicator 2007: Offers consistent, familiar instant messaging, and Voice-over-IP (VoIP) capabilities to Windows Mobile powered devices and Windows Vista–enabled mobile computers.

Windows Server ® 2008 operating system: Windows Server 2008 is the next generation of the Windows Server operating system. It helps IT professionals maximize control over their infrastructure while providing unprecedented availability and management capabilities. Windows Server 2008 delivers new value to organizations by helping ensure that all users, regardless of location, are able to get the full complement of services from the network. Windows Server 2008 also provides deep insight into the operating system and diagnostic capabilities, allowing administrators to spend more
time adding business value. It is a significantly more secure, reliable, and robust server environment.

To learn more about how Digital Reach can help you get the most out of your IT environment, view our Solutions and Services.

The number of mobile users is constantly growing.  Are you ready?

Mobile workforce trends:

 There are 50 million mobile users—virtually all of them with cell phones—representing 41 percent of the U.S. workforce (“Enterprises Strive to Better Connect the Mobile Workforce,” December 8, 2006, Yankee Group).

 By 2009, IDC estimates there will be more than 878 million mobile users worldwide (“Worldwide Mobile Population 2005–2009 Forecast and Analysis, #34124,” October 2005, IDC).

Mobile solutions are becoming an IT priority:

Gartner surveyed 1,400 global chief information officers (CIOs) and found that “Mobile workforce enablement ranked third as a technology priority for calendar year 2006” (press release, “Gartner Survey of 1,400 CIOs Shows Transformation of IT Organization Is Accelerating,” January 2006, Gartner).

Companies must transform the way they deliver enterprise applications, services, and productivity tools to the mobile workforce (“The Mobile Workforce: How Enterprises Must Adapt to Survive,” August 4, 2006, Yankee Group).

Mobility is a potential software and services revenue opportunity:

Revenue for packaged mobile workforce management software applications, not including service revenue, was slightly less than US$225 million in 2005 and will rise to more than US$300 million by 2009 (Gartner).

By year-end 2006, the combined software and service market segment for mobile workforce application services reached US$1 billion, rising at a 10 percent average annual growth rate through 2007 (Gartner).

Sales of mobile devices are booming:

More than 57 percent of organizations currently fund mobile devices. This percentage is rapidly growing (“Mobilizing the Enterprise in 2006,” IDC).

Most of the industry’s attention continues to be focused on the highest growth application—wireless e-mail. Wireless e-mail will continue to pave the way for a broader range of mobilized personal productivity tools and e-business applications alike (“Mobile Business Application Access,” 2006, Strategy Analytics).

Sales of mobile computers (laptops, tablets, etc.) are growing:

Mobile computer shipments will approach parity with desktop-based units globally by 2010, and mobile computers will outsell desktop-based computers in many mature market segments, especially mature home market segments (“Mobile PC Scenario, 2007 to 2010: Trends and Drivers,” September 6, 2006, Gartner).

Seventy-five percent of organizations now support wirelessly enabled laptops (“Mobilizing the Enterprise in 2006,” IDC).