Data Backup vs Data Disaster

Which would you choose?

Companies large and small as well as home users need their data protected and accessible in the event of a disaster. Having a disaster recovery plan and an easily recoverable backup c opy of your data is fundamental in today's technology dependant world. Viruses, power outages, vandalism, file deletion, and data corruption - what all of these events have in common is that they all can cause you to lose important information stored on your local PC or corporate server.

A fundamental data backup plan will typically include the following elemens:

• A proper rotation of tapes or other storage media. This ensures that if one of the backup tapes beomes corrupt, several other tapes wil lbe available from which to restore data. The same policy holds true whether the backup media is a tape, CD-RW or a flash drive.
• Storage of backup media at a secure location. This will entail storing at least a month end backup at an off-site location or in a fireproof safe.
• Verifying the integrity of the backup data by occasionally restoring files and confirming that the information is indeed accessible from the media.
• Proper maintenance of the backup unit.

The range of cost for these solutions is tied to your specific environment and the protection desired. High-level data backup solutions will typically involve a tape drive and third party backup software. The cost for these solutions can range from $500 into the thousands. These high-end solutions are most often used in network environments where a server is present. Lower end solutions can involve flash drives or CD burners and often utilize software that comes with the above-mentioned hardware. The typical cost for these lower end solutions will be under $300 and are used both in corporate and home user environments. A new alternative to traditional in-house backups is to export your data to a secure site on the internet. These services vary depending on the amount of data but will typically cost around $75 to $150 a month. This solution will frequently allow you to access your data from any place at anytime.

Kenneally Technology Services is a new service for the clients of J.L. Kenneally and Company. We provide our technology services with the same structure and procedure as we do with our accounting practice. A no-nonsense approach to one of your most important business assets - your computer system and its data.

We are ready to assist you with recommendations for bettering your data backup procedures and your technology in general. Contact Dave Thomas today at dthomas@jlktech.com or 410.321.9558. Do you really just want to roll the dice and hope nothing happens to your business data?

Who's Spying on You?

There is a whole industry, albeit not a legitimate or legal one, that relies on information garnered from business and personal computers. Imagine running a business where you do not have to make phone calls to develop new business or even do much work when you receive information from new sources.

The folks who lurk in the identity theft business just develop very simple applications that find their way onto your unprotected computers and siphon off personal and/or business information. And I do not have to tell you what they then do with these priceless little nuggets. Identity theft horror stories are all over the news and Internet. The little applications that may be running on your computer without your knowledge are referred to as spyware.

The definition of spyware:

Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically, but not exclusively, bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Without proper protection, these applications can be installed by a virus or as a script that runs from a web page in what we call a “drive-by” installation.

Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity and your Web surfing habits on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to it’s Web site. Spyware is often installed without the user’s knowledge or permission. It can change system settings, install keystroke loggers, collect and report consumer's personal information, use computer processing capacity without permission, and deliver spam or ads without consumer's notice and consent.

There are ways to protect your computer from these types of intrusions. The best way is to purchase and install a spyware application. The best types of this software are separate from anti-virus programs and any other Internet security software. It is very important to keep the list of known spyware applications (definitions) up to date and to always make sure that you have the latest version of the actual spyware application.

Our products of choice are Webroot Spysweeper (www.webroot.com) and Spyware Doctor for Windows (www.pctools.com). These are products that you must purchase but there are some very nice free tools that you want to consider for pre-cleaning your computer of spyware or even using as a secondary scanner.

The most effective free tools are Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal (www.lavasoft.com) and Spybot Search & Destroy (www.safernetworking.org). Again, we would recommend only using these free tools as a secondary option to one of the purchased products mentioned earlier or as a tool for cleaning your computer before installing your purchased product.

In addition to a top notch spyware application, you should also install an up to date anti-virus program with an active subscription and if you are not behind a corporate firewall, a personal firewall installed locally on your computer.

Together these three tools should be considered security staple items installed on all of your personal and business computers.

Kenneally Technology Services is a service for the clients of J. L. Kenneally and Company. We provide our technology services with the same structure and procedure as we do with our accounting practice. A no-nonsense approach to one of your most important business assets—your computer system and its data.

If you would like to schedule a meeting or a review of your technology, please contact Dave Thomas, Director of Technology Services, at 410.321.9558 or dthomas@jlktech.com.

A Recipe for Computer Security

Staple Items for Safe Computing

There once was a time when the concept of the Internet was a friendly tool used by scholars and technical people for sharing information freely and securely. Times have certainly changed since those early collaborative days of what is now the World Wide Web. Never in those early days did an Internet user need to worry about a 14 year-old hacker trying to disrupt your computing experience as a game or have a spammer try to use your computer as a masked gateway for sending out tons of unsolicited advertisements.

Here are the ingredients of a well thought out computer (home or corporate) security system:

Anti-Virus Protection

An up to date (I can not emphasize enough the words up to date) anti-virus program to protect your computer is crucial. Viruses can find their way onto your computer in many ways. From a tainted email attachment to a drive-by installation from a rogue Internet website, viruses can bring your computer to its knees. The biggest problem with anti-virus applications is end users tend to install them and forget about them. These programs require a bit more attention. Make sure that you apply the latest program version as well as making sure that the definition files are constantly and automatically being updated. Definition files are the list of viruses that the program knows how to address.

Solution for person computers = Norton Anti-Virus 2008

Solution for corporate networks = Symantec Endpoint Protection

Spyware Protection

Spyware can be defined as Internet “junk” that finds its way onto your computer. Spyware is often installed without the user’s knowledge or explicit permission. It can change system settings, install keystroke loggers, collect and report consumer's personal information, use computer processing capacity without permission, and deliver spam or ads without consumer's notice and consent. The line between viruses and spyware has become clouded recently. Keeping this software up to date with versions and definitions is equally important as with the anti-virus program.

Solution for personal computers = Webroot Spyware

Solution for corporate networks = Symantec Endpoint Protection

Firewall Protection

A firewall, whether it is a hardware device or a software solution, is the guardian of your personal computer or corporate network. It dictates, based on your selected settings, which sort of Internet traffic gets in and out of your computer or network servers. Once configured properly, it will analyze Internet traffic and allow or disallow traffic based on a predetermined set of access rules. If you or your corporate network is connected to a broadband Internet connection, consider yourself under attack. One hour after you configure your firewall and place it online, check your log file and you will see numerous hackers attempts and port scans assessing your firewall’s worthiness. The folks trying to gain access to your important information in not necessarily a sophisticated technical person anymore—it could be your 14 year-old next door neighbor having a little fun. Hacker tools are readily available on the web for those seeking a little “fun time”.

Solution for personal computers = Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Pro (software) // Cisco Linksys BEFSR41 (hardware)

Solution for corporate networks = Sonicwall TZ-170 (small network) // SonicWall Pro 3060 (larger networks)

Spam Protection

Email spam does not necessarily cut into the performance of your computers or pose a security risk but it does cut into personal and employee productivity. Spam software is fast becoming not just a luxury but a must have solution as well. Having a system wade through the unwanted email in your inbox, more often than not, pays for itself.

Solution for personal computers = Sunbelt Software's IHateSpam

Solution for corporate networks = Barracuda Network Spam Firewall (hardware) // Postini Communications Suite (Online Filter Service)

This is our recommended recipe for secure computing success but you may want to consider some software security suites that bundle the components mentioned previously into an all-in-one solution. No matter which solution that you ultimately choose the most important thing is to make sure that you keep your software subscriptions current and your programs up to date.

Nice security suites that you may want to consider include:

McAfee Internet Security Suite 2008

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite

Kenneally Technology Services is a service for the clients of J. L. Kenneally & Company. We provide our technology services with the same structure and procedure as we do with our accounting practice. A nononsense approach to one of your most important business assets—your computer system and its data.

If you would like to schedule a meeting or a review of your technology, please contact Dave Thomas, Director of Technology Services, at 410.321.9558 or dthomas@jlktech.com.

PRODUCT REVIEW EDITION

IMAGINE...

…a worry-free backup system that not only protects data files of all kinds, but one that could also restore your computer system in a matter of minutes rather than hours or even days.

Such a system exists if you choose imaging software to protect your business or home-based computer system. Symantec, the makers of various system protection and backup tools such as Norton Anti-Virus and Backup Exec, have a product for both your business and your home.

NORTON GHOST VERSION 14

This product, meant primarily for the home user, allows an end-user to make periodic image files of your computer system. Or in other words, it allows you to take a snap shot of your computer’s files and configurations and save it to various sources including an external hard drive, an FTP website and a network attached storage device. You can even configure the software to make an emergency image if a certain security threshold is reached by a piece of malicious software or download.

You may say to yourself that when I delete a file I do not necessarily want to restore my whole system just to get it back. The Ghost software allows you to recover individual files or folders as well as having the full protection of complete system restoration in the event of a computer disaster. More information can be found at www.symantec.com/ghost.

SYMANTEC BACKUP EXEC SYSTEM RECOVERY SERVER EDITION

This product aimed at businesses with true servers is very similar to the Ghost product however it is little more complex and has enhanced capabilities. The software creates complete image files of a network server allowing individual file restoration or even full system restoration even to dissimilar hardware. That means if your server is completely dead you could purchase brand new server hardware and use the image process to restore your system in a fraction of the time.

The software also has the capability to backup and restore mail system files and crucial network security files such as user account properties and network permissions.

For more information go to www.symantec.com and search their product offerings for System Recovery Server

SUMMARY

These two softwares are not meant to replace your existing tape backup or online backup system. They are meant to enhance what you are already are using. However, in the event you need to restore a file, I would be willing to bet that you head for the image file rather than your stack of tapes. Just think how long it would take to restore your network server in the event of a catastrophe. Just finding all of the software installation CDs would probably take you hours before you even got started.

You never realize how important data backup is until the day you need them and rarely do computer users verify their backups are actually good ones. In these hard economic times where every dollar counts, having more than one option for file and system restoration is not a luxury but a necessity.

If you would like to assistance with the installation and configuration of the software mentioned in this edition, Kenneally Technology Services has a team of experienced and trained technicians to assist you. Please contact Dave Thomas at 410.321.9558 or dthomas@jlktech.com.

Making technology decisions during an economic downturn is just another in a long line of issues to address when managing your business. But let’s face it; you must keep your systems running smoothly internally in order to have technology help keep you competitive and profitable.

You can’t just forget about your technology issues and hope they go away. There are a few things that can do to help cut costs now as a bridge to when we can start to see light at the end of the dark economic tunnel.

Hardware maintenance and upgrades

A memory (RAM) upgrade is one of the most cost-effective ways to immediately add speed and life to a computer. Your desktop that was once almost cutting edge with 512 MB of RAM three years ago, now needs at least 1 or 2 GB of RAM to run the software that you have upgraded or added over the years. Most RAM upgrades come in at around $100 per machine.

You can also upgrade your system’s hard drive to take advantage of the new hard drive’s superior speed. Using imaging software, you can transfer your computer files and settings to a new faster hard drive in a little over an hour.

Let’s not forget housekeeping. Open up your computer’s case and blow the dust away from the system processor, internal and external fans and system board. This could cause performance degradation. Another housekeeping item you can try is running the built-in disk defragmentation utility on your system’s hard drive. This will also increase disk performance and speed.

Remote Workplace

If you have a mobile workforce or if it made sense for an employee to work from a home office, there are a multitude of options from which to choose.

Cellular modems - allow Internet access from virtually anywhere with a notebook computer allowing for checking email, sending reports from the field rather than bringing them back to the office and even allows for a secure connection back to your home office.

VPN - Virtual Private Networking allows for secure remote access directly to your company’s local LAN from any Internet connection. Your remote computer becomes an extended part of the local office network remotely.

Online meetings - Websites such as www.gotomeeting.com allow for several users to “meet” on a website where you share your desktop for others to view. Digital whiteboards for discussion points and even filesharing is also available.

Kenneally Tech can assist you with the difficult technology decisions that you need to make today and with an eye to the future. If you require assistance, please contact Dave Thomas, Director of Technology Services, at 410.321.9558 Ext 209 or at dthomas@jlktech.com. Please visit our website at www.jlktech.com to learn more.