Migrating from Windows Server 2003 is not optional — it’s a necessity

Change is inevitable. And with IT operations, that phrase couldn’t be truer. In April 2014, Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP. And now MIcrosoft has announced it will no longer support Windows Server 2003 after July 14, 2015. The risk of running outdated, unsecure, and non-compliant infrastructure and software is too great to ignore. Migrating from Server 2003 to Server 2012 isn't necessarily difficult, but moving your data and applications can be a logistically complex, worrisome task. Start thinking about it now, put it in your budget, and get ready to make the move. But remember you don't have to do this alone—Emerge is here to help!

We can work together to help you transition smoothly. You can count on us to help you plan, design, implement, manage, and support your migration. Our service team is knowledgeable and certified on Windows Server 2012. Not only can we help you transition to new infrastructure, we have the expertise so you can make this migration with confidence.

Don't take a chance on compromising your business data because your network system is running out of date software. We can get you up to speed! If you are ready to make the switch or are interested in an assessment of your current situation, please contact us at Emerge, 859-746-1030 or info@emergeits.com.

Gmail or Exchange?

used with permission from HP Technology at Work

When it comes to business email, change is in the air.
Web-based platforms have all but taken over the personal email market—Gmail alone has over 425 million active users worldwide and counting [1]. With Microsoft® also ending extended product support for Exchange Server 2003, now could easily seem like the perfect time to switch your office desktop email client and server to an online solution.
But most small businesses should think twice.
Solutions that are perfect for home use are often underpowered when it comes to getting office tasks done, and email is no exception. Here are the top ways desktop email clients and servers are still beating their browser-based challengers, and why they should still be your top choice for business email.

Desktop client advantages
• Offline management: Whether you’re on the road, flying to a presentation, or just in a Wi-Fi dead zone, having local access to your messages and attachments means you can stay productive without having to worry about internet access.

• Full backups: When a browser-based service is down, you’re out of luck until the provider fixes it. In contrast, most desktop email clients give you full, personal control over your backups, which can be particularly important if your emails contain sensitive data that needs to be encrypted.

• Attachments and filtering: Yes, webmail clients have basic flags and filtering, but most can’t compare to the advanced filtering, categories, reminders, rules, and tags that can save users hours of time in desktop email clients.

• Security: Protecting sensitive company and client data shouldn’t be taken lightly, and most browser-based clients have little to no support for cryptographic standards like S/MIME or other encryption options. To stay secure, desktop email clients are still the way to go.
Hosted email advantages

• Easy migration: It’s not just about messages. Users, permissions, attachments, contacts, and more all need to be brought over when upgrading to a new system like Exchange Server 2013. With hosted email, there’s a clear path. With webmail? Usually not so much.

• Compatibility: Microsoft Outlook was designed from the start to run over Exchange, not Google Apps, and it shows. To ensure the fewest problems and glitches with your desktop email client, a hosted solution is usually best.

• Reliability: Hosted Exchange services like those available from Microsoft feature business-class reliability with guaranteed 99.9% uptime and a financially-backed service level agreement [2].

• Security: Features like Data Loss Prevention (DLP), approved mobile device lists, enforced PIN locking, and the ability to wipe confidential company data from lost phones are all advanced security features generally only available with hosted email.

The best of both worlds

All that being said, choosing your email client and host doesn’t have to always be an either/or solution. Outlook, for example, can be used to monitor personal Gmail accounts in addition to your business email if you have a Google Apps for Business account. And hosted Exchange services mean smaller companies don’t have to buy their own server to use Exchange by taking it to the cloud [3].
Web-based email clients like Gmail can be great for personal email. They’re simple, easy to access from anywhere, and often free. But while those are great reasons to use Gmail for your personal account, when it comes to getting work done efficiently and securely in the office, a desktop email client still wins out.
[1] The Verge, Gmail now has 425 million active users, June 28, 2012
[2] Microsoft, Exchange Online
[3] Microsoft, Compare Exchange Online plans

3 Business Fails From Hollywood Films - And How To Avoid Them

used with permission from MSFT for Work

Hollywood is big business. Summertime is a competition between studios where the biggest
explosions and craziest plots (now in 3D!) equal enormous profits. What about business in movies? Turns out, there are some awful business decisions being made not by the studios but by the characters in their films. To get you ready for a summer of superheroes and things going pew-pew-pew, here’s a look at 3 of the all-time worst business decisions made in films. Don’t forget the popcorn!
• Lex Luthor’s plan in Superman: a lesson in hiring staff
Mr. Luthor is supposedly one of the world’s smartest men, and has built a multibillion dollar company through his intelligence. His master plan is to divert nuclear missiles to cause the San Andreas Fault to drop California into the ocean, turning his newly acquired desert property into prime oceanfront real estate.

There’s an environmental lesson here—nuclear winter and the massive debris field wouldn’t exactly make for the best resort property. But there’s a key lesson in how to bring in the right talent for your team. Luthor leaves the execution of his plan in the hands of one of the most incompetent henchmen of all time, Otis. Surely the smartest man in the world would have hired some better staff? No one wants an Otis on their team.

• Building the giant walls in Pacific Rim: why you listen to data analysts
In the near future, the Earth is under attack by giant monsters (kaiju) from under the ocean. So far, the only effective means of fighting them were giant robots. Naturally, the leaders of the free world decide that the robots are too expensive and instead spend billions creating a really big wall—which turns out to be completely ineffective at stopping kaiju that can simply climb over it, like a sci-fi Maginot Line.

This is why you listen to your analysts. The data scientists in Pacific Rim told everyone who would listen that the kaiju are getting bigger and it would only be a matter of time before they walked over the walls. The only way to stop them? More giant robots. When the fate of the world (or your business) is at stake, listen to your data analysts. They understand context and can see patterns that lead to avoiding enormous, expensive blunders.

• Rebuilding the Death Star in Return of the Jedi: failure to innovate
The Galactic Empire built a huge space station with the power to destroy entire planets, using a massive amount of resources and manpower. The Rebel Alliance discovered a weakness and with about 30 pilots managed to blow it to smithereens. Rather than innovate a new solution to controlling the galaxy, the Empire decides to build… another Death Star. Which the Rebels promptly blow up.

Innovation could have saved the Empire an enormous amount of resources. First, whatever security breach the Rebels exploited to get the Death Star plans was clearly not filled. Second, the Emperor knew the Rebels would try to attack and let them come anyway, despite the new Death Star’s reactor being totally exposed. He might as well have painted a giant bullseye on it. Success in business and in crushing the rebellion requires stepping outside your comfort zone—not repeating the same mistakes over and over.

Mistakes of Dr. Evil-like proportions are common as plot foils—but real businesses need not worry about making such errors if they hire intelligently, listen to their analysts, have access to the proper data, and properly innovate.

Security Update on POODLE vulnerability

A couple of days ago a new vulnerability was uncovered called “POODLE”. This vulnerability potentially places all web servers at risk that allow lower forms of encryption (SSL version 3). If exploited, data that should be secure could be compromised. There are a couple of things that need to be done to ensure you and your organization are protected.
 

1. If you have a server that is hosting a website of any kind, it should be secured by disabling SSLv3. This includes but is not limited to Microsoft Exchange – Web servers – Small business servers.
2. Your computers/devices are also at risk if you connect to a website that has not disabled SSLv3. It is strongly encouraged that you configure your web browser not to allow SSLv3. Please see information below on how to do that.

Windows XP Machines

It is important to note that Microsoft Windows XP machines are unable to support any encryption level higher/newer than SSLv3. This means that as webservers with secure sites are secured across the world, Windows XP/Internet Explorer 8 will not be able to communicate with them.

General Instructions for Changing Browser Settings

In order the change the settings on your web browsers, please see below. (These are general instructions. Your browser may vary depending on version.)

MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER

Click the Tools icon in the top right corner (the icon looks like a gear). Scroll down and click Internet Options. In the resulting pop-up window, select the Advanced tab, then scroll through the list of settings until you reach the Security category. Uncheck Use SSL 3.0, click Apply, and then click OK.

MOZILLA FIREFOX

Type about:config into the address bar and hit Enter or Return. Click "I'll be careful, I promise!" in the resulting warning window. Scroll down the list of preferences and double-click "security.tls.version.min". Change the integer from 0 to 1 and click OK.

GOOGLE CHROME

For Google Chrome, you'll have to temporarily become a power user and use a command line. The instructions are a bit different for Windows, Mac and Linux.

In Windows, first close any running version of Chrome. Find the desktop shortcut you normally click to launch Chrome and right-click it. Scroll down to and click Properties. Click the Shortcut tab. In the Target field, which should end with "/chrome.exe", add a space, then add this: "--ssl-version-min=tls1" (without quotation marks). Click Apply and then OK.

In Mac OS X, first quit Chrome. Open the Terminal command-line application in the Utilities folder (reachable by typing Command+Shift+U). In Terminal, type "/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome --ssl-version-min=tls1" (without quotation marks).

In Linux, quit Chrome. Open up a console window and type "google-chrome --ssl-version-min=tls1" (without quotation marks).

Relaunch all those browsers (and in the case of Internet Explorer, reboot the PC ), and you should be good to go.

---

Here is more information if you would like to learn more:

• https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA14-290A
• http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2014/10/this-poodle-bites-exploiting-ssl-30.html

Again, if you have any issues please contact Emerge at 859-746-1030.

Emerging Trends Newsletter - Special Cyber Crime Addition with Invitation to Data@Risk

This month, Emerge is focused on helping out business beat cyber crime before it hits them. CLICK HERE to read the October Issue of the Emerge Newsletter, Emerging Trends. In it, you will see a LINK TO REGISTER for the October 16th keynote Lunch and Learn for the Cincinnati stop of David Stelzl's Data@Risk speaking tour, sponsored by Cisco and Emerge.

Data@Risk with David Stelzl - Register Today!

2014/2015 Security & What to Expect

Working in the CyberCrime for over 18 years, David Stelzl has a gift for taking the complexity out of this cyber-mess we're in. Drawing from his book,Data@Risk, David Stelzl will be uncovering what he believes are the greatest threats to our businesses in the coming year. In his opinion there is one major mistake being made by just about every company - today. Join hosts Cisco and Emerge as we welcome David to The Frisch's Theater at The Cincinnati Zoo. Lunch will be provided by the expert chefs as we learn how to protect our business from threats.  When: Thursday October 16th 11:30-1:00 Where: The Frisch's Theater at The Cincinnati Zoo What: Data@Risk with David Stelzl and Cisco

REGISTER TODAY!

Six Ways Technology is Changing How We Travel

Innovations such as mobility and the Internet of Everything are bringing real-time ease, flexibility, and fun to our journeys. Here are just some examples.

By Jason Deign
from Cisco

1. Where to go

Travel used to be about selecting a destination, hoping your luggage would get there with you, then worrying about tummy bugs for the rest of the stay.
Now, though, with apps such as TripAdvisor, you can now get a customer-eye’s view of the places you may be visiting, and check on other peoples’ reviews to see whether it measures up to your expectations. Best of all, you can carry the info with you on your mobile.
“We are definitely seeing a trend of people using TripAdvisor on the go,” says James Kay, senior media relations manager. “More than 100 million people have downloaded TripAdvisor apps. In fact, TripAdvisor is now the world’s most popular app, according to Distimo.”

2. What to pack

How many times have you arrived somewhere only to find you’ve forgotten your toothpaste/shades/phone adapter? To avoid that happening, you can now download the handy Packing Pro app developed by avid traveler Quinn Genzel.
“Going solo through Asia, South America, and the Middle East, I came to realize how important traveling light really was,” Genzel says. “To do so, list-making was essential, so I created Packing Pro, a digital packing list that is reusable and always by your side.”
It could also work with the Internet of Everything (IoE) in future. “Beacon-tagging seldom-used items can streamline packing,” says Genzel. “My app could store iBeacon IDs and help locate items. GPS-tagged luggage can also help keep track of everything while you're on the road.”

3. How to park
It is bad enough having to wrestle with hire cars, foreign road signs, and maniac drivers when you are on vacation. But finding somewhere to park when you do not know a city can be a real pain. Or it used to be, until the advent of IoE-style apps such as JustPark.
Backed by carmaker BMW and Index Ventures, JustPark is up to 60 percent cheaper than on-street parking and saves you risking a fine. “JustPark lets drivers find and reserve spots in even the most notoriously difficult cities for parking,” says communications manager Anna Brook.
“JustPark works with local governments, car parks, churches, and even residential homeowners with a spare space on their drive. Over half a million registered drivers use JustPark over the world, particularly in the United Kingdom and increasingly in the United States and Australia.”

4. What to say
One of the joys of travel is experiencing foreign cultures. The flip side is not being able to understand a word in shops, bars, restaurants and other outlets. That is when you reach for your mobile and fire up your Word Lens Translator app.
Created by Quest Visual and recently incorporated into Google Translate, Word Lens gives you a translation of any printed text just by taking a photo of it with your mobile camera. The app handles Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese.
“It’s not perfect, but you can get the general meaning,” says Quest Visual. And provided you stick to printed text rather than handwriting or stylized fonts, the app works even when there is no mobile network connection. ¡Que bien!

5. Who to call upon

You travel to get away from your old, familiar environment. The problem is that when you need help, whether it is to find a pharmacy or plan a day trip, you can be stuck for people to turn to.
That is why the folks at VirtualTourist decided to use technology to link newbies like you to old hands in wherever you are traveling to.
“VirtualTourist helps by providing tips, reviews, and photos from people who have been there,” says Kimberly Stirdivant Wason, head of PR and marketing. “VirtualTourist currently has 1.3 million members from over the world. Our tagline is The People Behind the Places.”

6. Where to look

If you are looking to spice up your travels then why not turn each outing into a search for hidden treasure? Right now more than 6 million people are doing just that with Geocaching, the world’s biggest treasure hunt. To join them, you just need a mobile.
Using GPS, it can show you the location of the nearest treasure cache. With almost 2.5 million of them worldwide, including in places such as Antarctica, the chances are there is one within a few hundred feet of where you are now. But GPS is only good for up to a few feet.
So when you get to the approximate location, it is up to you to find the cache. Some are very cunningly hidden. Typically each cache has a logbook for you sign and a ‘treasure’, usually a trinket, for you to take… provided you leave behind something for the next geocacher.

7. What other innovations would you add to this list?