Page 4 BeckITSystems’ Portal Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 10 July 2011 R ecently, Microsoft announced a real ―game changer‖ for the IT in- dustry and something that may mean the demise of the $62 billion- dollar company‘s stronghold on the desktop. What is it? Office 365, which is Microsoft‘s new cloud computing answer to Google Apps. Instead of pay- ing $300+ per license, you can now access the entire Office suite of products via the Internet for $6 to $24 per month per user (like paying for a utility). What Is “Cloud Computing” Cloud computing or ―going to the cloud‖ is very similar to the concept of paying for electricity as a utility rather than purchasing and running your own generator to power your home or office. Public utilities can provide a cheap, reliable, ―pay as you go‖ service to anyone wanting water or power. Similarly, cloud computing means that the cost of hosting, securing and de- livering services, like Office, is owned by the utility company, in this case, Microsoft. How Can You Know If This Is A Smart Move for You? While the savings on software licensing with Office 365 become negligi- ble over an extended period, there is much more than an accounting exercise involved before deciding to jump into cloud computing. For example, you need to consider the reliability of the cloud service provider ; your Internet connection (speed, jitter, latency, dropped packets); what type of help desk support you need; compliance and security issues; where your data is stored; key critical applications such as accounting, CRM, ordering & billing sys- tems; line of business applications, etc. that you may need; automated busi- ness processes; and network devices including scanners, printers, iPads, BlackBerries, etc. you need to use. Free “Cloud Readiness” Assessment Gives You Facts If you want to know if cloud computing is right for you, call or email us for a free, no-obligation cloud readiness assessment. We‘ll evaluate your current situation and provide insights and options for moving to the cloud. We‘ll also answer any questions you have and tell you the unvarnished pros and cons of choosing this option. The Cloud Readiness Assessment is valued at $547 and, for a limited time, you may qualify to receive it free. The resulting report will provide you with a cloud readiness assessment of your goals for key business out- comes; the current state of your IT operations; details on your key applica- tions and licensing; how your IT is performing; the types and amounts of data you have; the performance of your Internet con- nection; how your printing operates; and more. Call us or email [email protected] for your Free Cloud Readiness Assessment. Get More Free Tips, Tools, and Services at www.BeckITSystems.com Phishing E-mails On The Rise A phishing e-mail is an e-mail sent by a hacker designed to fool the recipient into downloading a virus, giving up their credit card number, personal information (like a social security number), or account or login information to a particular web site. Often these e-mails are well designed to look exactly like an official notification from the site they are trying to emulate. For example, a recent phishing e- mail was circulated that appeared to come from Facebook stating that videos or photos of Osama Bin Laden’s death were posted online. These e-mails looked exactly like a legitimate Facebook e-mail and even appeared to come from ―Facebookmail.com.‖ Once you clicked on the e-mail the phishing site would attempt to install a virus on your computer. Due to recent security breaches with Sony and e-mail marketer Epsilion, phishing attacks are going to increase – and they are going to get more sophisticated and harder to distinguish from legitimate e-mails. That’s because the hackers that were able to access the private databases of the above mentioned companies now have the name, e-mail and interests of the subscribers, and in some cases birthdays, addresses and more. That means a phishing e-mail can be personalized with relevant information that the user provided to Sony, making the e-mail appear to be more legitimate and the user more likely to click on the links provided and take the actions requested. Now more than ever it’s critical that you are wary of e-mail notifications and the actions they request you take. Even having good anti-virus software installed won’t protect you if you give your account information away freely. Get More Free Tips, Tools, and Services on Our Website: www.BeckITSystems.com /Resources THE PILOT Insider Tips to Make Your Business Run Faster, Easier, & More Profitably Can You Really Get Microsoft Office For Just $6 A Month? Readers’ Corner W e are living in a ―new economy‖ in which success requires a totally new approach to operating organizations and the tech- nology that is critical to daily functions. Marshall Goldsmith‘s book, ―WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON‘T GET YOU THERE‖, summariz- es the ―new reality we face today. We are living in a time of change rarely seen before. Organizations must know what this means to their future or face near certain extinction in the future. We are dedicated to success for Non-Profits and Businesses through applied technology that enables measureable business outcomes. This month‘s cover story discusses one small part of ―Cloud Compu- ting‖, pointing out that every organization needs a Cloud Pilot to navigate through the complexities of achieving a proper solution be- fore soaring into The Cloud. With that in mind, BeckITSystems, Inc. announces the most significant new products and services ever avail- able from us. This includes TOTAL OUTSOURCING while keep- ing your bottom line in mind and saving you time and money so you can work on your business, not the IT in your business. Soar into The Cloud when you attend the lunch meeting from 12:30—2PM on Friday, July 22, 2011, in our Cloud Control Tower & Corporate Meeting Room in Sterling, VA, to discover what this means to your organization and learn all the details about... Your Cloud Pilots ® ! Dedicated to your success! Ed Becker, BeckITSystems, Inc. is dedicated to providing non-profits and business with positive business outcomes from technology that is affordable, effective, efficient, and easy for employees to use! Volume XII, Issue X July 2011 BeckITSystems, Inc. (703) 433-0730 Microsoft‘s Office 365 …………..…….1 Shiny New Gadget …………….………2 iPad/iPhone Tips ………………………2 The Lighter Side ……………………….3 Free Lunch In The Cloud ……………...3 Best Buy‘s Buy Back Program…...……3 Readers‘ Corner …………………...…..4 Phishing E-mails On The Rise ……..…4