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May Newsletter

Welcome to our May newsletter.

I've been thinking a lot about computer security lately. Many of you will immediately think of viruses, trojans, worms and the like.

There are very few buisnesses that ignore this threat. You subscribe to anti-virus software and for the most part the problem is out of sight and out of mind.

There is hardly a week goes by when we don't see an infection, most are automatically removed, but very new threats can slip through and need a manual approach to resolve.

While this is probably the most obvious security threat there are others that are not quite so obvious. What if your laptop or smartphone was lost or stolen? How safe is the data on it?

There are a couple of articles here to whet your appetite, more to follow next time.

If you have been putting off replacing your ageing server then take a look at our article on leasing your next server.

I always recommend replacing servers every five years or so. If your server fits this category I have probably already brought this to your attention!

Replacing your server every five years of service mitigates against your hardware becoming unsupported by the manufacturer.

There is also the added inconvenienceof us performing ever more stringent maintenance tasks on your server to ensure you have enough processor power, free memory, and hard drive space available.

Steve Macklin

Leasing IT Equipment

May 17, 2011

When buying new IT equipment for your business you are faced with 2 questions. How much will it cost and how are we going to pay for it?

Through our partnership with BlueStar Finance we can offer our customers a simple, flexible finance option.

Below are a few of the benefits we have seen for our customers. Call or email Steve for details.

Minimal Down Payment

Most businesses earn revenue over time, but have to pay for equipment up-front, in one go. Why pay out in one lump sum when with leasing you can pay a small amount every month? Businesses prefer to pay as they use!

Cash

Cash is king and it makes sense to preserve precious cash and instead use it for future expansion or other critical business needs. Put away you hard earned money and let BlueStar pay up-front for it.

Tax savings

With a finance lease arrangement all payments made are 100% tax allowable as an expense for tax relief often providing savings. Traditional Hire Purchase is not as tax efficient and therefore may cost more in the long run even if it initially looks cheaper.

Preserving Credit Lines

BlueStar offers finance options from just £1,000. Preserve your existing credit lines with your bank and optimise your use of additional commercial sources.

Technology Upgrades

Leasing allows you to take advantage of technology improvements. With BlueStar Refresh you can upgrade your equipment regularly at a reasonable cost often without increasing your existing payment.

Flexible Payment Levels

BlueStar finance options range from 1 to 7 years, depending on the type of equipment. We will find you a best-fit solution based on your budget and return on investment plans associated with the asset.

USB drive security: what you can do

May 17, 2011

You can find them in pockets, purses and on key chains. They’re on lanyards and in pens, built into some jewelry and even found alongside scissors and nail files in Swiss army knives.

Teeny USB thumb drives are ubiquitous: In fact, Gartner estimates more than 222 million were sold in 2009 alone. Could such a tiny gadget bring big risks to your organization?

Thanks to their small size, low cost, and capability of instant backup and file transportation between multiple computers, USB drives actually pose significant security threats for businesses.

Click here for the full article and suggestions on minimising the potential security risks.

We are also able to offer software solutions including encryption and disabling USB ports.

If you would like to know more please give me a call, or email

Dell Optiplex 790 £449

May 17, 2011

Intel Core™ i3-2100 Processor (3M Cache, 3.10 GHz)

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32 or 64 bit)

250GB Serial ATA III (7.200 Rpm) Hard Drive

4GB (2x2GB) 1333MHz DDR3 Memory

16XDVD+/-RW Drive

3 Year Basic Warranty - Next Business Day

Display Not Included

(We do have some Dell 19" TFTs for £82

Call or email Steve)

Laptop Security

May 17, 2011

Many more businesses are opting for laptops as opposed to desktop PCs when replacing equipment these days.

It is not just the closing gap in price but also remote working is so much easier these days.

As with every advance and improvement, there are new risks and one of these is your company data getting into the wrong hands. Windows password reset tools render your data open to abuse by a thief, unless it is encrypted.

We have successfully used TrueCrypt with a client of ours over the past year to safe guard financial data from would-be thieves. It won't bring your laptop back, but short of reformating your hard drive, a thief will not be able to benefit from your loss.

If you would like to know more please give me a call, or email

Steve Macklin

Dell Vostro 3550 Laptop £379

May 17, 2011

Intel® Core™ i3-2310M 2.1GHz

320GB (7,200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive

3072MB 1333MHz Dual Channel DDR3 Memory

15.6 inch High Definition LED Display (1366 x 768)

8X DVD+/-RW Drive

1 Year Collect & Return Warranty