ANTenna Blog -- December 2009 Archive

5 Mobility Predictions For 2010

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:13 PM ET | Dec 31, 2009

Five predictions for what SMBs can expect on the mobility front in the coming year -- from Trust Digital.

2010 Security Dreams? GFI Says "Dream On!"

Posted by Keith Ferrell 05:59 PM ET | Dec 31, 2009

Sometimes you've just got to smile, and GFI security expert David Kelleher gave me more than one with his dreams of a security utopia in 2010. Dream on is more like it.

7 Cloud Computing Predictions For 2010

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:12 AM ET | Dec 31, 2009

Seven Predictions on what SMBs can expect from the world of cloud computing in the coming year -- from Appirio.

Kingston Warns Of USB Drive Security Flaws

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 07:21 AM ET | Dec 31, 2009

Data storage vendor Kingston recently warned customers of a flaw in several of its secure USB drives that could allow an attacker to access sensitive information.

2010 Threat Environment: New Year's Familiar Fears

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:12 AM ET | Dec 30, 2009

Saying goodbye to 2009 won't, alas, let us say goodbye to many of the year's top threats, which promise to linger and persist into 2010, even as the New Year brings new threats, as well as new versions and varieties of the old ones.

The Pros And Cons Of Virtualization For SMBs

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 07:12 AM ET | Dec 30, 2009

Does virtualization really make sense for small businesses? Some experts doubt it, but I'm reluctant to offer any simple answers to this question.

Remote Desktop: Now You See It, Now You Don't

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 05:32 PM ET | Dec 29, 2009

Is it possible to use Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection technology with Windows 7? As always, that depends upon which version of Windows 7 you're talking about.

Firefox Prepares To Make Its Smartphone Debut

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 01:59 PM ET | Dec 29, 2009

According to the BBC, the first mobile phone version of Firefox is only "days away" from release. In reality, however, most mobile users at small and midsize companies will be in for a much longer wait.

New SSDs Hit The Sweet Spot For Small Businesses

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:02 AM ET | Dec 29, 2009

We all know that quality solid state disks (SSDs) are just too expensive for small businesses to afford, right? Not so fast.

Reviewing The Year's Storage News Highlights

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 09:53 PM ET | Dec 26, 2009

Over the past couple of weeks, I slogged through the usual endless series of storage-related "best of" and prediction articles. Finally, here's one that is actually worth sharing.

Working With The Win7 Problem Steps Recorder

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 09:21 PM ET | Dec 26, 2009

Windows 7 includes a new remote support tool that is potentially very useful -- if you know about it.

The Perfect Office Mac?

Posted by Jake Widman 05:13 PM ET | Dec 24, 2009

German tinkerer Klaus Diebel will modify your old iMac so that it makes coffee but still functions as a Macintosh.

5 Security Predictions For 2010

Posted by Fredric Paul 12:59 PM ET | Dec 24, 2009

Varonis shares five security trends that will impact SMBs in the coming year.

i4i Lawsuit Means Nothing To Most Office Users

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 02:14 AM ET | Dec 23, 2009

The Web is buzzing over Microsoft's defeat in a major patent lawsuit involving its Office software. How will this affect your business? With very few exceptions, it won't.

Intel's vPro Reshapes Remote Desktop Support

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 10:11 PM ET | Dec 22, 2009

Chances are good that you have never heard of Intel's vPro technology. If your company relies upon remote support technology, it's time to get acquainted with it.

Apple Fixes iMac Flicker -- Or Not

Posted by Jake Widman 08:41 PM ET | Dec 22, 2009

Apple has released a firmware update for the new 27-inch iMacs which is supposed to address the kind of screen flickering and image corruption users have been complaining about. It's not clear if the update solves everybody's problem, though.

LaCie Unveils Its Latest USB 3.0 Storage Appliance

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 10:37 PM ET | Dec 21, 2009

The USB 3.0 storage market continues to expand, with LaCie introducing a new RAID storage device the incorporates the new high-speed standard.

Verizon's Bright Idea: Shaft Users, Make Money

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 10:23 PM ET | Dec 21, 2009

Can Verizon infuriate its Blackberry users by shoving a "preferred" search provider down their throats? Yeah, there's an app for that.

The SMB Impact Of Avaya Completing Its Nortel Enterprise Solutions Acquisition

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:30 PM ET | Dec 21, 2009

Steve Hilton, bMighty columnist and analyst at Analysys Mason, explains what Avaya finalizing its purchase of Nortel's Enterprise Solutions (NES) operation means for small and midsize businesses.

Netbooks Gain More Graphic Features

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 04:04 PM ET | Dec 21, 2009

Netbooks have emerged as a popular option for executives who need simple access to Internet applications. However, one limitation with these systems has been their graphic capabilities. Aware of that shortcoming, Intel has developed a graphically enhanced netbook microprocessor, and devices relying on it may start to arrive in a few months.

Season's Security Greetings: 12 Holiday Tips To Keep Your Data Safe

Posted by Keith Ferrell 12:15 PM ET | Dec 21, 2009

'Tis the season -- for holiday time off, extended trips, office parties... and security negligence. Time to tighten the defenses and clamp down on the user indulgences. No Grinch or Scrooge stuff here: Just a few tips for keeping your workplace systems and data safe, as well as merry and bright.

Survey Says Telework Plans May Need Rethinking

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 12:35 AM ET | Dec 19, 2009

It is one thing to believe that your company has a workable business continuity plan in place. It is quite another for that actually to be the case.

What A Google-Yelp Deal Might Mean For SMBs

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:48 PM ET | Dec 18, 2009

Google is reportedly working on a $500 million deal to buy local reviews site Yelp. On the plus side, the deal might make it easier to find small and local businesses on Google while also helping to clean up some of the controversy surrounding pay-for-play allegations on Yelp. Or it could make things worse on both fronts.

Psystar Down For The Count?

Posted by Jake Widman 02:06 AM ET | Dec 17, 2009

A California court has granted Apple's request for a permanent injunction against Mac clonemaker Psystar. The injunction bars Psystar from selling computers with any version of OS X installed, suggesting that reselling someone else's product is not the best SMB business plan.

Remote Assistance Thriller: Dial "S" For "Scam"

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:51 PM ET | Dec 16, 2009

A new scam involving remote support software recently surfaced in the United Kingdom. Before you snicker at just how gullible the victims appear to be, ask yourself whether your company's PCs are vulnerable to precisely this sort of attack.

Tape-Based Storage: Not Dead Yet!

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 07:38 PM ET | Dec 16, 2009

Is tape dying as a long-term storage medium? It depends upon whom you ask -- although it is significant that this is even an open question.

Project Honey Pot: Over One Billion Spammers Served

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 07:02 PM ET | Dec 16, 2009

This week, Project Honey Pot identified its one billionth spam message. Find out what it has learned from that torrent of junk email -- and what you can do to make its efforts to stop spam even more successful.

HP Software To Boost Cloud Computing For SMBs

Posted by Fredric Paul 02:03 PM ET | Dec 16, 2009

HP Operations Orchestration and HP Cloud Assure for cost control are designed to help companies take better advantage of cloud computing's inherent flexibility and elasticity, while mitigating potential risks.

2010 Cybercrime Goals: Symantec

Posted by Keith Ferrell 10:35 AM ET | Dec 16, 2009

What do cybercrooks want next year? According to Symantec Hosted Services, they want bigger and badder botnets, pathways through CAPTCHA traps, local language spam and plenty of hooks as good as Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods.

Laptop? Smartphone? Netbook? How about a Tablet?

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 03:31 PM ET | Dec 15, 2009

Small is the new Large! Given users newfound proclivity to bound from place rather than sit at their desks, suppliers have been developing a bevy of mobile devices. Broadcom is the latest supplier to jump into this space with silicon that can be used for a portable computing tablet, a market that soon could receive a big boost from industry game changer, Apple Inc.

HyperOffice Releases Beta Of New Software-with-Services Business Suite For SMBs

Posted by Fredric Paul 12:20 PM ET | Dec 15, 2009

Designed for organizations with between 5 and 100 users, the new version of 10-year-old HyperOffice adds interface enhancements, "push" e-mail support, and an online relational database.

iMac Shipments Delayed: Multiple Problems Reported

Posted by Jake Widman 05:59 PM ET | Dec 14, 2009

The 27-inch iMacs, introduced in October, are now showing a two-week ship time. Apple has not said why, but an independent website has been documenting issues with the new machines ranging from flickering screens to whistling displays.

What Next For Google In The Mobile Market?

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 04:04 PM ET | Dec 14, 2009

Google has been known as a game changing company, a firm whose entry in a market often means immediate upheaval. Two years ago, the vendor unveiled its Android mobile operating system and convinced a bevy of suppliers to support the system. Now, Google plans to make its own handset, which may cause those companies to question their support.

Trojan Buzus Attack Passes 1.5 Million Infected Sites

Posted by Keith Ferrell 10:26 AM ET | Dec 14, 2009

A widlfire-fast SQL injection that started picking up speed last week hasn't slowed down. Last week's hundreds of thousands of compromised sites have grown to more than 1.5 million, eSoft reports.

ADTRAN Jumps Into Unified Communications Market

Posted by Fredric Paul 05:33 AM ET | Dec 14, 2009

Aimed at companies with 5 to 2,000 users, the networking vendor's NetVanta Unified Communications (UC) Solution Suite includes voice mail, unified messaging, fax server, presence, and auto attendant features.

Remote Access Security Is Everyone's Business

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 11:28 PM ET | Dec 11, 2009

A seedy little story involving some luckless restaurateurs, Romanian hackers, and a ham-fisted software reseller might not sound relevant to your small business. Think again.

EMC Serves Up Life In The FAST Lane

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 09:38 PM ET | Dec 11, 2009

EMC has been promising great things for its new storage-tiering technology. Now we'll get to see how it plays with the company's customers.

Dell Revamps Its Ubuntu-Ready Desktop Lineup

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 06:21 PM ET | Dec 11, 2009

Dell is once again beefing up its Linux-ready offerings -- including one that the company bills as the "world's smallest fully functional commercial desktop PC."

All Mobile Users Are Not Alike, So Why Does Your Company Give Them All The Same Equipment And Service?

Posted by Fredric Paul 01:33 PM ET | Dec 10, 2009

A new Forrester Research report recommends that companies can save big money by segmenting users according to job roles and offering different devices, apps, and services for each segment.

Top 15 Threats: How The Crooks Are Coming At You

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:43 AM ET | Dec 10, 2009

The latest Verizon Data Breach Report lists the top outside threats -- keyloggers, spyware, SQL injections, remote access and control -- and inside threats -- access and privilege abuse, usage and other policy violations -- that businesses have faced. The report is based on actual business's data breach experiences.

E-Mail Client Software Finally Gets A Kick In The Pants

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 11:19 PM ET | Dec 9, 2009

The early reviews for Thunderbird 3 are rolling in, and most of them give Mozilla's updated email client a big thumbs up. Whether business users will notice is another matter entirely.

5 Tips To Help SMBs Stop Identity Theft

Posted by Fredric Paul 12:29 PM ET | Dec 9, 2009

Many SMBs like to think identity theft is someone else's problem. Sure, consumers have to worry about it, and so do large corporations that collect information on millions of customers. But not smaller companies, right? After all, who'd bother targeting a run-of-the-mill SMB?

Your Business Calls Now Can Travel Abroad

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 12:21 PM ET | Dec 9, 2009

The Internet makes it possible for companies to open up their Web sites to visitors located across the ocean. However, communicating with potential customers has not been as easy because of complex dialing sequences and the hefty rates often found with international calls. Phone.com, a Voice over IP (VoIP) service provider, has tried to address those issues with an enhancement to its service portfolio.

Remote Access: Insurance Against Flu Season Woes

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 04:17 PM ET | Dec 8, 2009

Worried that a flu outbreak will put your small business on life support? A remote access solution can help to keep affected workers productive -- while also keeping them safely at home.

Egnyte Extends Cloud-Based Hybrid Storage To NAS Devices

Posted by Fredric Paul 09:44 AM ET | Dec 8, 2009

The company is announcing Egnyte Local Cloud on Network Attached Storage (NAS), which expands the hybrid concept from Direct Attached Storage (DAS). The combination is designed to let SMBs combine local and cloud-based storage to maximize security, backup, and performance.

Apple Raises Top End Of Mac Pro, Xserve

Posted by Jake Widman 09:54 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

The Mac Pro now offers a faster chip option and additional storage, while the Xserve can be ordered with more storage and more memory. This isn't one of Apple's "more for the same money" line upgrades, though -- the base models cost the same as before, and the new options aren't cheap.

"Favorite Places On Google" Takes On Zagat, Yelp

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:37 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

In addition to its announcement of Real Time Search today, Google also rolled out a program to put stickers in the windows of 100,000 local businesses in 9,000 cities across the country.

HP Follows Dell, Lenovo, With All-In-One PC For SMBs

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:10 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

Earlier this year, Dell and Lenovo broke with tradition and introduced All-in-One PCs meant for business users, not consumers. It must be a trend because now HP has followed suit with the HP Pro All-in-one MS200 Business PC.

Getting Up Close And Personal With Google Chrome

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 05:08 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

Want to take a closer look at the work in progress that is Google's Chrome OS? A new InformationWeek hands-on preview is worth a closer look.

Surviving The Business Data Tidal Wave

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 04:43 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

Can technology alone enable your company to stay ahead of its data storage demands? In many cases, the answer appears to be no.

Data Center Consolidation Drives Need for High Speed Connections

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 02:11 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

Centralization has once again become the watchword in the data center. To simplify management, businesses are collapsing autonomous devices into central products. As this occurs, companies find themselves with more information stored in select locations and need fast network links to move that data. While many IT market segments have been struggling lately, high-speed data center connections have shown dramatic growth, according to market research firm Dell’Oro Group.

Bank Phishing: It Doesn't Take Much For Phishers To Take A Lot

Posted by Keith Ferrell 12:49 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

Most people ignore -- and, one hopes, delete unopened -- those phishmails that pose as correspondence from legitimate banks. But even a fraction of a percentage of responses generates millions for the crooks.

KACE Adds Patch and Remediation To Strengthen Patch Management For Endpoint Security

Posted by Fredric Paul 12:48 PM ET | Dec 7, 2009

The new technology is designed to improve patching support and add automated patch management to KBOX systems management appliances.

SMB Security Spending To Grow In 2010, Vendors Say. What Say You?

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:43 AM ET | Dec 4, 2009

Small and midsized businesses are "poised" for security growth in 2010, according to a recent panel of experts. But that same conversation included warnings that the growth would come while SMBs continue to slash budgets. Paradox? Not when you factor in the cloud and security services.

IDC Predicts Big Year For iPhone, iTablet

Posted by Jake Widman 02:34 AM ET | Dec 4, 2009

Getting a jump on the holiday prediction season, technology analysts IDC have released their "Predictions 2010: Recovery and Transformation" report. If they're right, Apple's in the catbird seat with the iPhone and long-rumored iTablet.

VirtualBox Allows Admins To Get Their VMs To Go

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 11:10 PM ET | Dec 3, 2009

There's a good reason why Sun's VirtualBox has been downloaded more than 20 million times over the past couple of years: High quality at an unbeatable price. And the latest version takes yet another big step forward.

Online Service Protects Against Cloud-Killer Outages

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 10:44 PM ET | Dec 3, 2009

Worried about your cloud-based data going up in smoke? If you're the paranoid type, a new online service aims to deliver some peace of mind.

Comcast-NBC Deal Highlights Net Neutrality Issue

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:53 PM ET | Dec 3, 2009

What does it mean when the nation's largest Internet Service Provider, like Comcast, buys one of the biggest content creators in the world, like NBC? For one thing, it means the already contentious issue of Net Neutrality is about to get even more heated. Hopefully, it will galvanize the FCC to create and implement Net Neutrality rules that protect the interests of small and midsize businesses.

GroundWork Open Source Announces a New Linux Appliance

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 09:27 AM ET | Dec 3, 2009

The open source movement has been able to provide small and medium businesses with functional products at reasonable prices. GroundWork Open Source, whose business is based on delivering open source systems and network management tools, has decided to make its product available as a Linux based appliance, a change that could make it easier for small and medium businesses to deploy its management system.

Oracle/HP Offer Package For Midsize Manufacturers

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:59 PM ET | Dec 2, 2009

The recession hit manufacturing companies hard, but if there are any midmarket industrial manufacturers still growing, they can now buy a pre-packaged bundle of HP hardware, Oracle Acclerate software, Oracle Consulting services to help manage their businesses.

Security Pro Market Heating Up

Posted by Keith Ferrell 12:56 PM ET | Dec 2, 2009

The good news for IT security professionals is that demand for their skills is likely to increase in the next few months, according to Robert Half Technology. The challenging news for small and midsized businesses looking for security pros is that rising demand for their skills is going to make finding and hiring them harder.

Clearwire Network Reaches 30 Million Users

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 12:44 PM ET | Dec 1, 2009

Clearwire has been the lone wireless carrier driving the WiMAX deployment. After a few snafus, the carrier seems to be gaining some traction and is expanding its services reach in Hawaii, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington.