This never happens….  Welllll, I can’t say “never” after I post this…

One of our favorite vendors is having a sale and we are passing the savings on to you. Nexlink is offering 25 dollars off their prebuilt business computers, and if you order today (Wednesday March 27, 2013) through Friday the 29th, we can knock 25 dollars off the already great price, AND bump that warranty up to FIVE YEARS at absolutely no additional charge. (That’s actually 74 dollars saving over our normal price!)

Here’s what is available at this great pricing:

Nexlink Express 1125 i3 w8d – Intel Core i3-3220 3.30Ghz, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive w/Windows 7 Pro downgrade and FIVE YEAR manufacturer warranty – 676.oo

Nexlink Express 1125 i5 w8d – Intel Core i5-3330 3.0Ghz, 4GB RAM, 1TB hard drive w/ Windows 7 Pro downgrade and FIVE YEAR manufacturer warranty – 750.oo

Nexlink Express 1125 PENTW8D – Intel Pentium G645 2.9Ghz, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, w/ Windows 7 Pro downgrade and FIVE YEAR manufacturer warranty – 614.oo

Please note, these are BUSINESS computers! They don’t come loaded down with junk, they incredible warranties, and they are made with better components, such as genuine Intel motherboards, than you would find on off-the-shelf systems.

We have 100% customer satisfaction on these!

If you need one, or one thousand, we can help you or your business out, so please give us a call at 864-990-4748 or use our contact form on the website. Please note, we are closed for Good Friday, but if you contact us via email, or call on that day, I will insure you get this special.   We accept Visa and MC, and if you are ordering multiples, we may be able to arrange financing for you.

We also offer full computer service and computer support – we can install and migrate your data and configure these computers for your network!

Eaton Power Products

As an Eaton partner, Homeland Secure IT offers Greenville and the Upstate of SC the full line of Eaton power protection products, from surge protectors to full UPS or Uninterruptable Power Supplies to keep your computers, servers, network and phone systems online even when the power is off.

Safely shut down during a power outage and never lose the document you are working on by using an UPS.

There is an Eaton product that is right for every installation senario you may have. From home, home office, to small business and even data centers.

For more information or a sales quote, please call us at 864.990.4748 or use our handy CONTACT form!

EPC Data Containment Unit

This is our DCU, it is like many other DCUs, but this one is our own….

I bet you are wondering, “What the heck is a Data Containment Unit?” aren’t you?!!

The trashcan-like device pictured above is a DCU or “Data Containment Unit”.  Its purpose in life is to hold old hard drives that are destined to be destroyed PHYSICALLY to prevent unauthorized retrieval or recovery of data that may be contained on them.

This DCU in particular is provided by our partner, EPC and will be located at the Homeland Secure IT office in Greenville.

When we pull hard drives from computers that are to be disposed of, the drives will be dropped into the DCU’s slot and remain under lock and key until a time when EPC’s mobile unit retrieves the contents and security destroys everything within.

Homeland Secure IT is offering *free* destruction of hard drives pulled from computers and servers we sell when they reach their end of life, or should the drive become non-functional and need to be replaced in one of the computers we have sold. Yes, even non-functioning hard drives can have their data recovered in many cases!

As a service to the community, we will be offering low cost destruction of drives brought in to us and deposited in the DCU. We can also remove the drives from your old computers for you.

For more information, please call 864-990-4748 or stop by 104 Mauldin Rd, Suite E in Greenville.

The release of Microsoft Windows 8 is now just a few days away!

When you buy a desktop or notebook computer from us with Windows 8 on it, why not add Microsoft Office 2010?

Not only will you have the latest and greatest software and operating system, customers who purchase any qualifying version of Microsoft Office product between now and April 30, 2013 can download the next version of Office as soon as it is available!

Want more information about the new Windows 8 and the upcoming Microsoft Office release? Call us at 864-990-4748 or use our contact form on the website.

We are your Microsoft Small Business Specialist in Greenville / Upstate SC, offering sales and support of computers & servers from most manufacturers, powered by Microsoft!

• Initial outlay of cash
• Downtime during installation & migration
• Learning new software, time to train
• Double entry on two systems working simultaneously for a period of time
• Final migration to the new system after they see the new software working
• Lost revenue during this change-over

The list was actually longer than that, but I made it a little more concise in the interest of not boring you with details.

I then remembered a recent letter I received from one of our lending partners which says they offer Flex Plans, designed specifically to help out during times like this!

They can offer a 60 or 90 day “delay plan”, to keep cash flow at current levels until after the installation is complete.

That sounds like a winner to me! Maybe it can work for the client in question, and potentially someone reading this may have a similar concern and the knowledge that this is available could help.

Should your business be considering an upgrade of computers, servers or network equipment, please give us a call at 864-990-4748 or use the CONTACT link in the menu and let’s talk about what we can do for you!

Nexlink – Made in America FOR America

Sure, we offer all the big names in workstation, desktop, notebook and netbook computers and server such as HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer, Asus, Dell and the like, but there’s one brand that sticks out when we review the service calls and warranty repairs.  Seneca Data and their Nexlink desktops have proven to be an outstanding value for our customers.

The Nexlink computers are well made, with quality parts, and we generally sell them with a 3 year warranty.  These machines mean business! We get very few service calls on them, and in the event that we do, what parts we do not stock are shipped to us and generally arrive the next business day. Furthermore, their tech support department speaks English and are based right here in America, so it is always a pleasure to talk with them in the rare event we actually have to. Their help desk does not put us through unnecessary steps to diagnose a problem and reducing the time on the phone considerably.

I really can’t say enough good things about these machines!

Seneca Data realized just how high the quality of the machines are recently from their own data regarding repair and warranty claims and decided that going forward, the same machine that we have been selling with a 3 year warranty will be upgraded to a FIVE YEAR warranty at no additional charge to us, and we pass that savings on to you.

Desktops are generally replaced every 3 to 5 years, so essentially, the five year warranty could be considered a lifetime warranty for most businesses and individuals.

In all the years I have worked with computers, I have not seen computer manufacturers up their warranty!  This says that Seneca Data is willing to put their money where their mouth is with Nexlink computers!

If your business is looking to purchase new computers or servers, whether it is one or one thousand, please call us at 864.990.4748 or use the CONTACT link in the navigation bar and let’s see if we can provide you with what I think is the best computer for the money! If you want to try out just one computer before upgrading your entire company, we can arrange that. Likewise, if you would like to use a true business class computer at your home or in your home office, we have just the computer for you!

We provide Greenville & the Upstate of SC with complete computer, server & network sales, service and support…

Coming your way right after Easter – Security updates from Microsoft!

This information is from the Microsoft Security Advance Notification for April 2012:

********************************************************************

Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for April 2012

Issued: April 5, 2012

********************************************************************

This is an advance notification of security bulletins that Microsoft is intending to release on April 10, 2012.

The full version of the Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for April 2012 can be found at http://technet.microsoft.com/security/bulletin/ms12-apr.

This bulletin advance notification will be replaced with the April bulletin summary on April 10, 2012. For more information about the bulletin advance notification service, see http://technet.microsoft.com/security/bulletin/advance.

To receive automatic notifications whenever Microsoft Security Bulletins are issued, subscribe to Microsoft Technical Security Notifications on http://technet.microsoft.com/security/dd252948.aspx.

Microsoft will host a webcast to address customer questions on these bulletins on April 11, 2012, at 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada). Register for the Security Bulletin Webcast at http://technet.microsoft.com/security/bulletin.

Microsoft also provides information to help customers prioritize monthly security updates with any non-security, high-priority updates that are being released on the same day as the monthly security updates. Please see the section, Other Information.

This advance notification provides a number as the bulletin identifier, because the official Microsoft Security Bulletin numbers are not issued until release. The bulletin summary that replaces this advance notification will have the proper Microsoft Security Bulletin numbers (in the MSyy-xxx format) as the bulletin identifier. The security bulletins for this month are as follows, in order of severity:

Critical Security Bulletins

============================

Bulletin 1

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 8

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 9

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 8

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 9

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation

not affected)

- Internet Explorer 9

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation

not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 2

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 1

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 3

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 1

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 4

- Affected Software:

- Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3

- Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2

- Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3

- Microsoft Office 2010 (32-bit editions)

- Microsoft Office 2010 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)

- Microsoft Office 2003 Web Components Service Pack 3

- Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4

- Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services Service Pack 4

- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 4

- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 4

- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 4

- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with

Advanced Services Service Pack 4

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 3

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 3

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 2

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 3

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 for 32-bit Systems

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems

- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

- Microsoft BizTalk Server 2002 Service Pack 1

- Microsoft Commerce Server 2002 Service Pack 4

- Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 Service Pack 2

- Microsoft Commerce Server 2009

- Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 R2

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro 8.0 Service Pack 1

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9.0 Service Pack 2

- Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Important Security Bulletins

============================

Bulletin 5

- Affected Software:

- Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010 Service Pack 1

- Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010 Service Pack 1

Update 1

- Impact: Information Disclosure

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 6

- Affected Software:

- Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2

- Microsoft Works 9

- Microsoft Works 6-9 File Converter

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Other Information

=================

Follow us on Twitter for the latest information and updates:

http://twitter.com/msftsecresponse

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool:

==================================================

Microsoft will release an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services, and the Download Center.

Non-Security Updates on MU, WU, and WSUS:

========================================================

For information about non-security releases on Windows Update and Microsoft update, please see:

* http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894199: Microsoft Knowledge Base

Article 894199, Description of Software Update Services and

Windows Server Update Services changes in content.

Includes all Windows content.

* http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/wsus/bb456965.aspx: Updates

from Past Months for Windows Server Update Services. Displays all

new, revised, and rereleased updates for Microsoft products other

than Microsoft Windows.

Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) ===========================================

To improve security protections for customers, Microsoft provides vulnerability information to major security software providers in advance of each monthly security update release. Security software providers can then use this vulnerability information to provide updated protections to customers via their security software or devices, such as antivirus, network-based intrusion detection systems, or host-based intrusion prevention systems. To determine whether active protections are available from security software providers, please visit the active protections websites provided by program partners, listed at http://www.microsoft.com/security/msrc/collaboration/mapp.aspx.

Recognize and avoid fraudulent email to Microsoft customers:

=============================================================

If you receive an email message that claims to be distributing a Microsoft security update, it is a hoax that may contain malware or pointers to malicious websites. Microsoft does not distribute security updates via email.

The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) uses PGP to digitally sign all security notifications. However, PGP is not required for reading security notifications, reading security bulletins, or installing security updates. You can obtain the MSRC public PGP key at https://technet.microsoft.com/security/bulletin/pgp.

To receive automatic notifications whenever Microsoft Security Bulletins are issued, subscribe to Microsoft Technical Security Notifications on http://technet.microsoft.com/security/dd252948.aspx.

********************************************************************

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS MICROSOFT COMMUNICATION IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

********************************************************************

To manage or cancel your subscription to this newsletter, visit the Microsoft.com Profile Center at <http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=245953> and then click Manage Communications under My Subscriptions in the Quicklinks section.

For more information, see the Communications Preferences section of the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement at:

<http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92781>.

For the complete Microsoft Online Privacy Statement, see:

<http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=81184>.

For legal Information, see:

<http://www.microsoft.com/info/legalinfo/default.mspx>.

This newsletter was sent by:

Microsoft Corporation

1 Microsoft Way

Redmond, Washington, USA

98052

—

If you require assistance with these or any other updates, please do not hesitate to call upon us at 864.990.4748.

This is courtesy of the WatchGuard Security Center.  We are happy to partner with WatchGuard to provide firewall and security solutions. Call us at 864.990.4748 if we can be of service!

Summary:

• This vulnerability affects: OS X 10.7.x (Lion) and 10.6.x (Snow Leopard)
• How an attacker exploits it: By enticing you to a website containing maliciously crafted Java
• Impact: In the worst case, an attacker executes code on your user’s computer, with that user’s privileges
• What to do: Install Java for OS X Lion 2012-001 or Java for OS X 10.6 Update 7 immediately, or let Apple’s updater do it for you.

Exposure:

Yesterday, Apple released an advisory describing a Java security update for OS X 10.6.x and 10.7.x. The update fixes 12 vulnerabilities in OS X’s Java components (number based on CVE-IDs).

Apple doesn’t describe each flaw in technical detail, but they do share the worst case impact. If an attacker can lure you to a website containing specially crafted Java code, he can exploit many of these vulnerabilities to execute code on your OS X computer, with your privileges.

This Apple update finally brings the Java updates Oracle released in February to OS X users. Unfortunately, attackers have already been exploiting one of these Java vulnerabilities against Mac users in the wild. A Mac trojan called Flashback has reportedly infected over 600,000 Macs, by leveraging one of these Java flaws (as well as a Flash vulnerability in the past). If you have any Mac computers in your organization, we highly recommend you install Apple’s OS X Java update immediately. You can also find instructions for checking your Mac for the Flashback malware here.

Solution Path:

Apple has issued Java for OS X Lion 2012-001 [dmg file] and Java for OS X 10.6 Update 7 [dmg file] to correct these flaws. If you manage OS X 10.6.x or 10.7.x computers, we recommend you download and deploy these updates immediately, or let OS X’s automatic Software Update utility install it for you.

For All WatchGuard Users:

Some of these attacks rely on one of your users visiting a web page containing malicious Java bytecode. The HTTP-Proxy policy that ships with most WatchGuard appliances automatically blocks Java bytecode by default, which somewhat mitigates the risk posed by some of these vulnerabilities.

Status:

Apple has released Java updates to fix these issues.

References:

• Apple’s OS X March Java advisory
• Apple software downloads
• Apple security updates

This alert was researched and written by Corey Nachreiner, CISSP.

Homeland Secure IT Alert

Please update your machines to insure your network is secure. There is a little something for everyone!  Desktops and servers will receive Microsoft’s love.

This is from the Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for October 2011:

Critical Security Bulletins

============================

Bulletin 1

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 1

- Microsoft Silverlight 4

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 2

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems:

- Internet Explorer 6

- Internet Explorer 7

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 8

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 9

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 8

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Internet Explorer 9

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2:

- Internet Explorer 7

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

- Internet Explorer 9

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation

not affected)

- Internet Explorer 9

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation

not affected)

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 1:

- Internet Explorer 8

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Important Security Bulletins

============================

Bulletin 3

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 1

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 4

- Affected Software:

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 5

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

- Windows Vista Service Pack 2

- Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2

(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2

- Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and

Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and

Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation affected)

- Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems

Service Pack 1

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 6

- Affected Software:

- Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010

- Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010 Update 1

- Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010 Update 2

- Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010

Service Pack 1

- Impact: Remote Code Execution

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 7

- Affected Software:

- Windows XP Service Pack 3

- Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

- Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

- Impact: Elevation of Privilege

- Version Number: 1.0

Bulletin 8

- Affected Software:

- Microsoft Host Integration Server 2004 Service Pack 1

- Microsoft Host Integration Server 2006 Service Pack 1

- Microsoft Host Integration Server 2009

- Microsoft Host Integration Server 2010

- Impact: Denial of Service

- Version Number: 1.0

If you require assistance with these or any other Microsoft related security updates, please contact us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com – We provide service and support for Microsoft products throughout the Upstate of South Carolina!

Apple iPhone

Smartphones: Whether it is an Android, iPhone or even a Windows based phone, you cannot survive without one. These devices provide instant communication with your clients through email, text message and phone, along with the ability to browse the web and select from tens of thousands of applications to assist in your business. Your clients will not wait for you to get to your office to respond to an email. Even a quick, “I’m driving, will respond as soon as it is safe” auto-response is better than no response. The cost of a typical phone can range from 100 to 300 dollars per phone depending on features and term of contract from the carrier of your choice.

Square Credit Card Reader

Credit Card Processing: If you expect to get paid, then you need to accept every form of payment possible, including plastic. Yes, you will lose a little bit on the sale, but you will gain an instant payment. If you are just getting started, without purchasing a machine or paying a monthly charge, you can accept credit cards anywhere you have a cell signal using the Square credit card application with your smart phone and the free reader device that they provide to you. No per-swipe fee, and less than 3.0% charge. Fast, secure, and in your account the next business day. Find it in your phones’s marketplace.

Reliable & Fast Internet: There are a lot of choices these days for fast internet, from DSL to cable to fiber, and the old tried and true T1 standard, but some businesses may find that a wireless broadband internet plan may be enough for them. We recommend Charter Business in most situations, but that varies depending upon what is available at the business location. One advantage to using a cellular based broadband internet connection is that you can take it with you, which is great for businesses that are not tied to one specific location. Typical 4G plans will provide over 5 meg down and up to 2 meg up. Verizon Wireless offers the MiFi devices for around 50 dollars with 5GB plans for 50 dollars per month.

IP Surveillance Cameras

IP surveillance: Sure it sounds like the CIA, but IP security cameras at your business will decrease loss of inventory, increase productivity, and may provide an insurance savings. You can even keep tabs on your employees using a smartphone or any web browser to view these camera. Recordings can be reviewed after events occur, and most systems can email you when there is movement in a particular location. Prices range from $150 for a single entry level camera into the $2000 range to cover an entire business. You can install yourself, or get an IT provider to handle this for you for the most professional results.

Email: This is a no-brainer, but many small businesses will cut corners here. A Hotmail account will work for sure, but who wants AcmeWidgetCo@hotmail.com on their business cards. At the very least, your business should use a service that allows for linking a domain to your mail, such as Google Apps (Gmail) or Microsoft Office 365. This gives you a professional appearance, and provides for important features such as linking of your smartphones, sharing of calendars between users and so much more. Microsoft Office 365 costs about 5 dollars per person per month and gives you up to 20GB of storage.

Anti-Virus & Security: Far too often this is overlooked, or taken for granted. A business that is vulnerable to viruses or malware is a business that could experience costly downtime and repairs, not to mention, open yourself up for compliance violations and potential fines or legal issues depending upon the field you are in. The components of a secure network are as simple as a quality firewall like those offered from Cisco, Watchguard or SonicWall, an anti-virus software package from Trend Micro or Symantec, and taking the time to apply updates to the Operating System (Windows, Mac, etc) and support software (Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, JAVA).

Backup: When disaster strikes, you need to be prepared for it. Having backups of your important files will insure you are not out of business when a computer or server fails. Backups technology can be as simple as an external USB drive or remote backup solution, or on the other end of the spectrum, as complicated as auto-loader tape drives. One thing is for sure, ANY attempt to backup your data is better than none. For automated cloud backup solutions, consider Servosity or Mozy Pro.

Here at Homeland Secure IT, we utilize a vast array of technology and we also help many small and medium businesses and even home offices stay up to date. If we can help you with decisions regarding your Greenville or Upstate technology infrastructure, please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We offer sales, service, repair and consultation of everything from computers to VoIP.

What is your “must have” business technology? I would love to hear about it.  VoIP phone systems? iPad, Android or Windows based tablet computers? A favorite app (We love TiKL & Waze)?

Verizon thought you didn’t need the Google browser by default, so they sent you to Bing, and Sprint, they thought navigation would be better handled elsewhere, etc. So you really don’t get a Google Android phone the way Google intended it to be, and in turn, phones run slower, lack the ability to perform certain functions, and it sure makes it difficult to compare a Samsung Galaxy phone on Verizon to one on Sprint or another carrier because they don’t have the same exact install. Most consider them crippled.

You will find a growing number of people have opted to “root” their phones and bypass the garbage, or install a pure Google Android OS on it. Creating phones that run much faster than their stock counterparts.

What about computers? For years, manufacturers of computers have been bundling software with computers. This preinstalled software could add a specific function, allowing you to access features of a notebook that are not supported by the stock Microsoft Windows Operating System, or they could just be junk.

The “junk” ranges from demos of games and applications, to browser search bars and other tools.

It’s easy to see why a manufacturer would bundle a trial of Norton Anti-Virus, because if you register it, they likely get a kickback from Symantec, but, could manufacturers be loading something malicious?

In one article, a man has claimed that Samsung has loaded a keystroke logger on new notebooks… Samsung is denying this, and it is possibly that VIPRE is producing a false positive, but, none-the-less, a cause for concern. Time will tell in this matter.

All these things taken into consideration, it is easy to see why some people buy a new computer and immediately wipe and reload a pure Microsoft Windows operating system.

One reason we love offering computers from Seneca Data, such as the Nexlink series that we offer businesses, is that they do NOT come loaded down with junk. Though, they have in recent years begun to install a tool to allow for easy restore disk creation, a trial of Norton and a pre-load of the Microsoft Office trial, we believe these to actually be tools a new computer needs.  We CAN order them with NO operating system, and we can provide them with our own build of the OS to preimage.

Should you be interested in computer for your business that you are SURE do not come pre-loaded with unwanted software, you might want to give our Seneca Data Nexlink computers a serious look!  Call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information. We offer computer & server sales, service and support to Greenville / Upstate businesses and individuals.

Homeland Secure IT Alert

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Thursday, February 23, 2011

Microsoft has released Security Advisory 967940, titled “Update for Windows Autorun”, and it covers an issue that has long plagued Microsoft Windows Operating Systems. When you insert a USB flash drive, or USB hard drive, Windows has attempted to treat them like CD/DVD material and perform an autorun on it. While most IT professionals and tech savvy individuals have disabled that feature, and anti-virus developers such as Trend Micro have provided an option to disable that function, as gaping hole has been there for everyone else.

How has it affected people? Many ways, from a person inserting their USB flash drive from home into a business computer and the autorun functionality automatically installing the malware that was on the home system directly onto a network computer, creating a huge network security issue, down to malicious people dropping a flash drive containing malicious software on it in the parking lot of a large company they wanted access to. This resulted in workers at said company picking up the flash drive and inserting it into a computer on the corporate network in an attempt to see what was on it or find the owner to return it, and unknowingly permit software that would allow remote access to the network.

So, finally, after years of this, Microsoft has addressed it!

Microsoft has also published MS10-077, a revision to a bulletin posted in 2010 for a change to the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 update package. And MS10-070, which is yet another revision to .NET Framework 4.0. These are labeled “Critical” and “Important”, respectively.

Keep your systems up to date, and be sure you have current anti-virus… We recommend and sell Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security and Titanium. In Greenville / Upstate, SC please call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information…

Homeland Secure IT Alert

These predictions are based upon industry news, social media and blog rambling as well as some personal wishes.

Will any of it come to fruition? I guess at the end of 2011 you can remind me how wrong I was.

A few IT Predictions for 2011:

• Google Android based devices will continue to dominate the market in smartphones, pads, and everything else from alarm clocks and personal weather stations to set top boxes.

• Wireless carriers will discover that loading their own “value added” bundled software on top of the phones they sell is really a turn off and that keeping the smartphone just as the manufacturer and OS provider intended it to be will enable a faster rollout of updates and make for happier customers.

• Dish, DirecTV & cable TV providers have a fight on their hands… Services like Netflix and a whole slew of streaming providers will fight to bring first run movies, and streaming of networks via the internet. We will see many new set top boxes, TVs with built-in streaming capability. The most exciting thing will be an the legal battles around this, not really the technology itself.

• Tablet and pad wars will continue. Apple’s iPad II will provide some stiff competition for the Android pads, but be prepared for Android based pads to spring up everywhere as more are cleared for import to the USA.

• Internet Tax? Yep, 2011 is the year. So much revenue is being lost that I predict we will see taxes placed on our online purchases. I believe it will be both good and bad. Some online retailers may no longer be able to beat out the local brick and mortar prices, so that could be good for us smaller guys, but it may slow down the injection of money into the economy. Either way, it’s coming.

• Cloud Computing: Over half of all businesses will look into using cloud based services, whether it is online storage, online backup, online applications like Microsoft BPOS or Google Apps, hosted anti-virus, hosted anti-spam or even hosted VoIP solutions. Of these, 10% will actually make the switch, and half who do make the switch will be totally happy, with the other dissatisfied due to bandwidth or network reliabilty. The number of fully satisfied people will go up as the technology matures.

• Malicious software will affect more Macs and Linux based machines in 2011. We’ve already seen a sharp increase in the number of exploited machines, expect this trend to continue. Add to this smartphones as a target.

• Network Connectivity: Charter Business has just come out with a 75×5 meg Pro75 package. This is great, but I expect this to reach 100×10 by the end of 2011, possibly as a free upgrade like they upgraded the 20meg to 30meg…

What do you think the very near future has in store for us? More solid state storage devices? Hard Drives reaching 5TB?

Either way, we hope you have a very Happy New Year!

Today is “Black Friday” and by now you are probably home, safe and dry…  I hope everyone enjoyed their shopping experience and found everything they had on their Christmas list at deep discounts too good to be true!

From reading advertisements & news articles, retailers continued the trend of luring people in with the promise of a Sony Notebook Computer bundle for $199, a ViewSonic 24″ monitor for $99, an HP all-in-one wireless printer for $49.99, best selling video games for $9.99, 2TB hard drives for $49, 16GB flash drive for $4.99, Microsoft Office Home and Student for $79 with 3 user license, etc.

However, only a few lucky people serious shoppers received those deals… In the fine print of those ads, there is generally written “1 available”, and everyone was rushing in at the store’s opening and staking out their territory to be the one person to get the deal of the year. Sometimes there are a dozen available, but when we are talking about a popular item, chances are slim, unless you are a pro at shopping, that you will be the one in the front of the line.

I read sad tweets this morning from people saying they got up early to get the gadget they wanted and it wasn’t there. Many bought something similar that was on sale at a discounted price, which is exactly what the merchant was counting on!

Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there were some outstanding sale items and prices! I’m sure many of you did get something at a greatly reduced cost and only spent an hour or two doing it. Still, the crowds, the unlikely chance that I will personally be the one to get my hands on the brass ring and the fact I have to get up at 3AM or earlier (or stay up) keeps me out of the stores on Black Friday here in Greenville / Upstate, SC.

Which brings us to “Cyber Monday”. This is more my speed. I can shop from the comfort of my home (or office, but shhhhh, don’t tell anyone), and the only inconvenience I have to suffer is laggy internet due to everyone else doing the same thing.

I’m seeing spectacular deals that await us this coming Monday, and many Etailers are offering their discounts all weekend long.

Sure, there are those certain products that big online retailers will be selling with limited quantities, or “50 at this price”, but I think I can live with that, easier than seeing my neighbor climb over someone with murder in their eyes to grab the last widget on the shelf.

When scouring the web for these great deals, be careful if you are Googling for a product, say a “Nikon d7000 dSLR camera”, and find it at a price too good to be true from a place you have never heard of. Chances are, it IS too good to be true. Also, be aware that scammers have been waiting for this moment, and they have created sponsored (Ad Word) ads and even got their own websites up in the rankings for specific keywords. These sites look legit when you are searching, they may even have a URL that looks like it “bestbuy.com”, but it is not, and takes you to a malicious site, promising 100 dollar notebook computers, just install this driver or player.   Don’t fall for it.

Now get out there and buy something! Help our economy by spending a lot and have a happy & safe holiday shopping season!

Many times a company needs to purchase a new server but liquid capital prohibits them from doing so, and other times, it just makes more sense to purchase based on a lease.

Some benefits to leasing include:

• Fair Market Value or 10% option – This option allows for a customer to have the choice to purchase or return the equipment at the end of the original term AND deduct the payments as a monthly operating expense. Upgrade equipment anytime during the lease with a “Wrap Lease” product or upgrade at the end of the term.
• $1.00 Purchase Option – This option allows a customer to own the equipment at the end of the term for $1.00 and deduct payments over five years on a depreciation schedule or deduct all in one year under IRS Section 179. Upgrade options are still available with this program.
• Equipment Finance Agreement (EFA) – This allows the customer to retain full ownership of the equipment from the inception of the contract. It is tax deductible under a five year depreciation schedule or under IRS Section 179. This product has unique advantages for the customer who will most likely want to exercise and early buyout option.

We are happy to be able to offer leasing terms for larger purchases, so if you have a server refresh in your future, a larger scale deployment of desktop or notebook computers, etc, call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information.

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Wednesday, October 6, 2010

I realize I am sounding like a broken record (remember those?), however, Adobe has addressed vulnerabilities in their Adobe Reader, Adobe Acrobat, and also Adobe Air products which you should be aware of.

Skipping to the chase, please, for the love of God, update your Adobe products when prompted, or if NOT prompted, open each Adobe product and go to the Update option and do so… If you are running really old versions, you could just visit the Adobe.com website and download the latest versions, but be sure you update those too!

These vulnerabilities affect Apple Macintosh OS X, Microsoft Windows and even UNIX operating systems. Nobody is left out here.

Should you require assistance with this or any other computer / network security or support issue in the Greenville / Upstate SC area, feel free to call upon us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

Original CERT alert follows…

—

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—–

Hash: SHA1

National Cyber Alert System

Technical Cyber Security Alert TA10-279A

Adobe Reader and Acrobat Affected by Multiple Vulnerabilities

Original release date: October 06, 2010
Last revised: –
Source: US-CERT

Systems Affected

* Adobe Reader 9.3.4 and earlier versions for Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX
* Adobe Acrobat 9.3.4 and earlier versions for Windows and Macintosh
* Adobe Reader 8.2.4 and earlier versions for Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX
* Adobe Acrobat 8.2.4 and earlier versions for Windows and Macintosh

Overview

Adobe has released Security Bulletin APSB10-21, which describes
multiple vulnerabilities affecting Adobe Reader and Acrobat.

I. Description

Adobe Security Bulletin APSB10-21 describes a number of
vulnerabilities affecting Adobe Reader and Acrobat. These
vulnerabilities affect Reader and Acrobat 9.3.4, earlier 9.x
versions, 8.2.4, and earlier 8.x versions.

An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by convincing a
user to open a specially crafted PDF file. The Adobe Reader browser
plug-in, which can automatically open PDF documents hosted on a
website, is available for multiple web browsers and operating
systems.

Additional information is available in US-CERT Vulnerability Note
VU#491991.

II. Impact

These vulnerabilities could allow a remote attacker to execute
arbitrary code, write arbitrary files or folders to the file
system, escalate local privileges, or cause a denial of service on
an affected system as the result of a user opening a malicious PDF
file.

III. Solution

Update

Adobe has released updates to address this issue. Users are
encouraged to read Adobe Security Bulletin APSB10-21 and update
vulnerable versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat.

Disable JavaScript in Adobe Reader and Acrobat

Disabling JavaScript may prevent some exploits from resulting in
code execution. Acrobat JavaScript can be disabled using the
Preferences menu (Edit -> Preferences -> JavaScript; uncheck Enable
Acrobat JavaScript).

Adobe provides a framework to blacklist specific JavaScipt APIs. If
JavaScript must be enabled, this feature may be useful when
specific APIs are known to be vulnerable or used in attacks.

Prevent Internet Explorer from automatically opening PDF files

The installer for Adobe Reader and Acrobat configures Internet
Explorer to automatically open PDF files without any user
interaction. This behavior can be reverted to a safer option that
prompts the user by importing the following as a .REG file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AcroExch.Document.7]
“EditFlags”=hex:00,00,00,00

Disable the display of PDF files in the web browser

Preventing PDF files from opening inside a web browser will
partially mitigate this vulnerability. If this workaround is
applied, it may also mitigate future vulnerabilities.

To prevent PDF files from automatically being opened in a web
browser, do the following:

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Reader.
2. Open the Edit menu.
3. Choose the Preferences option.
4. Choose the Internet section.
5. Uncheck the “Display PDF in browser” checkbox.

Do not access PDF files from untrusted sources

Do not open unfamiliar or unexpected PDF files, particularly those
hosted on websites or delivered as email attachments. Please see
Cyber Security Tip ST04-010.

IV. References

* Security update available for Adobe Reader and Acrobat -
<http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb10-21.html>

* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#491991 -
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/491991>

* Adobe Reader and Acrobat JavaScript Blacklist Framework -
<http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/504/cpsid_50431.html>

____________________________________________________________________

The most recent version of this document can be found at:

<http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA10-279A.html>

—

Homeland Secure IT Alert

Help fight breast cancer!

Earlier in the year, we saw one of our friends asking for contributions to their Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure team (Plus Inc.) and two of us here at Homeland Secure IT supported them with small contributions.

After discussing it further, we decided to form our own team and participate in the 5K walk ourselves. It made total sense, as we all have people in our lives that have been affected by this horrible thing (Breast Cancer)! We had never done anything like this before so we really didn’t know where to start other than reading the “Team Handbook”…  We named our team for the Google On Main (We are Feeling Lucky) movement, hoping we would get a few contributions from those who participated in that uber cool event. We didn’t print T-Shirts because there were only a few of us, and we opted to give the money instead as a contribution.

We emailed our friends, family and clients, posted it to Facebook, posted it to Twitter, to the point of being annoying. I personally sent out 90 individually addressed emails a few days before the race. We blogged about it. Yet we still couldn’t get the results was hoped for. We had set our goal at $5000, thinking that would be “easy”.  We were wrong. Though we did manage to get over $1300 dollars in contributions!

Multiple issues were working against us reaching that goal. A bad economy was probably the largest problem. And close behind that was the fact we started late in the game. Most of the other teams had already been formed, and THOUSANDS of people were hitting up everyone they knew. I was told “We already gave” by many people, and “We are walking too” by dozens! I believe there were 6000 people or so participating in this walk! An awesome show of support for this cause!

I would like to thank one person by name, Michelle Varner, Greg’s wife, who managed to get the majority of our contributions! She is awesome and her hard work is appreciated. Our team consisted of me (John M. Hoyt), Pamela Hoyt, Greg Varner and Michelle Varner. (Our son and daughter were signed up, but slept in!)

From the bottom of our hearts, I would like to thank every single person who contributed to our team, or to this cause in general! Together, we can help find a cure!!!!

We will likely do this again for 2011, as the majority of the clients we provide computer and IT service to here in Greenville / Upstate are female and I can think of no better way to show them how much they mean to us than to support the Race for the Cure!

John, Pamela & Greg at the Start

Greg & John

The start of the 5k walk

6000 of our closest friends

A new world record! HAH!

Greg & Michelle crossing the finish line!

Shiny Happy People

According to a story published in the Washington Post, computer users are happier with their PCs than at any time since the first year (1994) that this was tracked! This was based around a poll run by ACSI LLC.

It was not surprising that Apple had the highest user satisfaction with their “cult-like” Mac following, though it may catch some off guard that Microsoft held its own. The article cites improvements in Microsoft customer satisfaction since the release of Windows 7, which we have seen ourselves. In fact, since the release of Microsoft Windows 7, we have been seeing people dump their aging Macs and opt for less expensive Windows machines as replacements.

Some factors that appear to be contributing to the migration from Mac to the Windows platform are the consistently lower prices for Microsoft Windows based machines, security holes being exploited in the Mac rapidly narrowing the “Mac is more secure” gap, the overall user friendliness and reliability of Windows 7 and of course the larger software selection.

Either way, across the board people are as happy as ever with their computers!

If you find your experience is less than satisfactory, I would like to hear from you. Reply here, shoot me an email, give me a call, etc. We can likely help improve your satisfaction!

If you are calling a one-man-shop, you may be getting a great deal in terms of hourly rates, however, you may find that the wait for this one person to finally get around to you could lead to inconvenient downtime. Unfortunately, the better the technician, the more likely this will become reality as they will pick up new clients, and have to service them. Obviously, there is only so much of one person to go around.

Some independent technicians have built-in a set number of clients to avoid this, as they realize they cannot be in two places at one time. The average tech will operate on a first come, first served basis, and still others will prioritize their calls, placing downed servers higher in the queue than a workstation with a virus.

Before opening Homeland Secure IT, many years ago, I ran a business like that, and though I had plenty of clients, I was run ragged with a call in Easley, then a call in Greer, then a call in Clemson. I am glad those days are over!

Homeland Secure IT is fortunate enough to have multiple technicians who CAN be in more than one place at one time! What about when we can’t? Yes that happens, when we are deploying a new server or network where all technicians are tied up on that job, sometimes we have to pull a man off that job to handle a call. Still other times we will have a heavy workload, such as in the case of when a new virus or updates are released and everyone is calling at one time. Using remote access tools, in many cases, we can service more than one client at a time. Again, these are tools that the average one-man-shop does not have at his/her disposal.

What is YOUR response time?

Generally, in the Greenville area, we are on location within 30 minutes, longer if we are dealing with Seneca due to drive time. Our average response time is difficult to measure due to a large number of our calls being handled by remote access, email or phone, which equates to INSTANT response time! When averaged in with our typical on-site response time of 30 minutes, it brings us closer to 5 minutes for response time! Just remember “on-site” where we go to you, will generally take us 30 minutes from the time you call.

What about these free estimates? How does that work?

Computers which are brought to our office qualify for a free estimate. We never charge to determine what is wrong with your computer, if it is brought to us. The same goes for an onsite consultation regarding performing service for your company. We will come to you and talk with you about how our services or products may or may not be right for you at no charge. That being said, we do not offer free estimates for a computer repair if we must dispatch a person to your location. We still generate a charge for the visit.

What services does Homeland Secure IT provide?

It may be easier to ask, “What services doesn’t Homeland Secure IT provide?” than to ask what we do. We specialize in small business computer and network support. We have offices with a single person in them that we provide total IT support for, and we have clients with 50+ users, with multiple locations, requiring VPNs between their sites and many servers. There really is no client “too small” for us, and we have yet to find one too large, but I am sure there is one out there! We do everything from desktop and laptop repairs, to network security, Voice over IP, CCTV and server deployment and maintenance.

If you are dealing with the one-man-operation and you are happy, then by all means, please continue! If you are growing tired of waiting hours and hours, or even days for a technician to show up, or return a call, then please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We serve the entire Upstate of South Carolina!

I told him not to worry because somehow, some way, we will recover his data and get him back online. Of course, he didn’t mention that no backup existed until near the end of the conversation… Hopefully this story will have a happy ending…

What are you doing for a disaster recovery plan? Sure you are backing up your desktops and servers, but what about those notebooks? We offer a free trial of Servosity Online Backup…

Free Servosity Online Backup Trial! Click Here…

With Servosity Online Backup you will be able to sleep at night knowing your data is protected, even on mobile computers which may never see the main office. Your data is encrypted and uploaded to the Servosity secure remote storage server. In the event of a disaster, individual files, folders, or an entire system drive can be restored.

Have important files that change throughout the day? Servosity also offers CONTINUOUS backup protection – important files are backed up as they are changed on your system. All of this takes place automatically.

Servosity works with Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OSX, Linux and other *nix based operating systems. Don’t take a chance, try out Servosity TODAY! For FREE!

Homeland Secure IT offers many backup solutions and one is just right for your application! Tape, Backup-2-Disk, NAS/SANs, Autoloaders and Jukeboxes… Email info@homelandsecureit.com or call 864.990.4748 for more information.

I explained that the “IT” in our case is an all encompassing catch-all term that covers just about anything you plug into the wall. We sell, service, repair, support a wide range of technologies, not just a computer, server or network, but VoIP systems, CCTV and network security camera systems, firewall appliances, anti-virus software and software in general.

So basically, whatever IT is, we can help you with IT!

I am unsure of a way to indicate everything we work with, but suffice it to say, it is not limited to just a notebook computer fix, or a simple virus cleanup. While we DO those things, we also deploy Blackberry Enterprise Server so your mobile users can stay connected. We help integrate wireless devices like Androids, iPads and more into your Microsoft Exchange. We configure VPNs that allow a mobile workforce or a branch office to connect to your data as if they were physically in your office. We design and deploy Voice over IP phone systems. We offer biometric and card swipe time clocks.

Again, if it plugs into your network, or connects wirelessly, or you WANT it to, we can help. Give us a call at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com to discuss your unique needs! We serve the Greenville & Upstate SC area!

Ecobee Smart Thermostat

Web Enabled Thermostats: A not-so-new technology is becoming mainstream due to the desire to save money and be “green”.

If you have been looking to purchase a new HVAC system for your home or business, you may have been given the option to include a thermostat that enables you to view statistics & make changes to the settings using a web browser or an app on your phone. The price ranges from a round $100.oo to as much as $500.oo at the time you purchase a new system, and you promised that it will pay for itself by allowing you to set schedules to reduce the costs of operating your system during times you are away from the home/business.

Some utility companies, such as UTX in Texas have plans you can sign up for that will enable you to get a FREE web enabled thermostat, and I believe you only pay around $75.oo for the installation. Ultra good deal in my opinion.

X-300 Web Enabled Thermostat

But what about those of us with older systems? Fortunately, the majority of web enabled thermostat manufacturers have designed their units with us in mind. Instead of targeting the new HVAC market, they have built devices that can be used with any system, whether it is a heat pump, or an oil fired unit, there is a model for you.

The benefits are as mentioned before… Ability to control your system from a web browser, ability to control your system from a phone with either a web browser or an app loaded on it for that thermostat. Some thermostats feature the ability to control other devices, such as lighting, and some have the ability to sense a contact closure. You can see a graph of system usage and override scheduled events, as well as easily SEE the schedules, rather than paging through one day at a time as you do on older programmable thermostats. Some units feature alerts, should your system not cool or heat properly, which would be perfect for those who have unattended / vacation properties.

X-300 Thermostat Control via iPhone App

What about security? Can someone “hack” my home? Sure! Anything that is accessible via the internet could potentially be exploited by attackers, however, these devices are currently low-profile making them an unlikely target. Most of the manufacturers claim security through encryption of the data stream.

Where do you get one of these? Online vendors have a large selection of web thermostats, and your HVAC vendor probably has their favorite. Some quality brands are Ecobee, Control By Web, Schlage / Trane, Proliphix, BAYweb, among others. Which model is right for you should be based upon exactly what features you require. For instance, some have a Wi-Fi option to eliminate the CAT-V cable run.

Can I really recoup my investment? That remains to be seen. I am sure a $150.oo unit could pay for itself in a year or more if you are replacing a non-programmable thermostat, but for some of the higher end products, I’m thinking that realistically you are looking at a couple years… Your mileage may vary.

If you have any question about these, please email info@homelandsecureit.com, call 864-990-4748×201 or respond here! If you have one, tell us what you like best about them.

All of our computer vendors have been alerting us to the fact that after October 22, 2010 they will no longer be able to provide us with machines that include the downgraded Microsoft Windows XP professional and that Microsoft Windows 7 will be the only option. There are some exceptions, such as storing an image with the PC vendor and providing them with a product key, which they will store and apply to custom ordered machines after 10/22/2010.

I highly recommend you make the move to the new Microsoft Windows 7! Our clients are never disappointed with the performance and reliability of this operating system. Some people have abandoned their alternative OSes (linux and Mac) for the compatibility and features!

If you are still unsure if Windows 7 Pro is for you, please give us a call or email. We offer free computer / server consultation to Greenville & the Upstate of SC. We can also install your software on a Windows 7 machine and insure compatibility without the need for you to switch your infrastructure only to find out it was the wrong thing to do!

Thanks Russell… I didn’t even know about the Code Search until today. I can promise you I will be using this

10 Google Services That Don’t Get the Limelight They Deserve  posted on MakeUseOf.com

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional

Yes, the subject is correct! Microsoft is offering students the deal of a lifetime…   Windows 7 Professional for only $29.99!

Follow this link to get the whole scoop…  In short you must have an email address ending with .edu, or be enrolled at a college listed as eligible on that site.

There is also a link at the bottom of that page for Microsoft Office Professional Academic version for $79.95, but last I checked, that link is broken.

If you have not checked out Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Office yet, you should do so using the free trials that are available, or if you happen to be a student, upgrade to both for only 100 bucks!?!  What a great deal! What a way to start out the new school year, with the latest software!

If you really need a reason to upgrade other than features and having the latest, how about security? Windows 7 Professional and Office 2010 Professional address security better than any previous version!

Students with Macs are loading Windows 7 Professional on their computers for compatibility with the latest software and requirements of colleges, giving them the best of both worlds!

If you require assistance, please email info@homelandsecureit.com or call 864-990-4748 – we can provide help in installing either of these software packages to those in the Greenville / Upstate SC area.