This has been a long time coming, but Google has finally added the ability to port your cellphone number.

The downside is that there is a 20 dollar fee to do this, but the upside would be that for those who do, you could have that one number you give out to everyone now routed to your Google Voice account, and through the use of rules / filter, control what becomes of the incoming calls.

For instance, you could have all phone calls from a particular number routed to your new cell phone number when they call the Google number.

You could create client lists and control what becomes of those calls too. During business hours, send them to your cell number, but after hours – straight to voice mail.

The action of porting your existing number is pretty easy. On your Google Voice account simply go to SETTINGS, then select the CHANGE/PORT link beside your Google Voice number. Remember, there is a 20 dollar charge, and there are restrictions from many wireless providers.

If you need help in Greenville / Upstate SC, let us know, we will do what we can!  864.990.4748 / info@homelandsecureit.com

Re-posted direct from the WatchGuard announcement:

WatchGuard is very pleased to announce the release of WatchGuard XCS version 9.1 Update 2 for all XCS Extensible Content Security appliances.

WatchGuard XCS 9.1 Update 2 includes significant enhancements to our award-winning WatchGuard XCS Extensible Content Security solutions. This release includes enhancements in spam protection, management and reporting, as well as data loss prevention functionality for XCS email security.In addition, XCS 9.1 Update 2 contains a number of fixes for issues reported by WatchGuard customers.

The key advancements of XCS 9.1 Update 2 include, but are not limited to:

• New WatchGuard XCS SecureMail Email Encryption add-on subscription for integrated privacy and protection of email communications; provides transparent, policy-based email encryption directly from the WatchGuard XCS appliance without the need for a local encryption server or additional desktop software
• New WatchGuard XCS SecureMail Branding add-on subscription for custom, fully-branded encrypted email communications
• XCS Outlook Add-in that places special Spam and Not Spam buttons in end user Outlook toolbar; helps improve overall XCS efficacy while giving users more control over their messages by providing:
  • end user ability to report false positives where legitimate messages were marked as spam
  • end user ability to report false negatives where a good message was mistakenly tagged as spam
  • improved training of WatchGuard XCS appliance
  • relays training feedback to WatchGuard
  • adds sender to end user’s personal Trusted/Blocked Sender list
• Enhanced visibility into spam processing with new Intercept Component report that provides detailed information regarding:
  • frequency of spam received based on each spam category
  • token analysis score of messages received
  • Intercept component contribution to spam score
• Improved redundancy with more connections to WatchGuard XCS Security Connection to ensure XCS security, updates, and services are always up and running
• And many more quality improvements and enhancements

If you’re an active LiveSecurity subscriber, you can upgrade to XCS 9.1 Update 2 free of charge.

Does This Release Pertain to Me?

WatchGuard XCS 9.1 Update 2 includes many important new features and enhancements as they pertain to spam efficacy, end user experience, secure email communications, data loss prevention, and redundancy of security and services. If you wish to take advantage of any of the updates listed above, or those mentioned in the Release Notes, you should consider upgrading to version 9.1 Update 2. Please read the Release Notes before you upgrade to understand what’s involved.

How Do I Get the Release?

WatchGuard XCS customers who have a current LiveSecurity Service subscription can obtain this update without additional charge by downloading the applicable package and/or XCS Outlook Add-Ins from the Software Downloads web page, which also includes clear installation instructions. As always, if you need support, please enter a support incident online or call our support staff directly. (When you contact Technical Support, please have your registered Product Serial Number, LiveSecurity Key, or Partner ID available.)

• U.S. End Users: 877.232.3531
• International End Users: +1.206.613.0456
• Authorized WatchGuard Resellers: +1.206.521.8375

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If you require assistance installing these updates, need to purchase a WatchGuard LiveSecurity service subscription or a WatchGuard product, please call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com – We are proud to be your WatchGuard partner & reseller in Greenville / Upstate, SC!

WatchGuard has released FireWare XTM 11.4 and WSM 11.4.

This release is available immediately and this latest security subscription is for WatchGuard XTM 2, 5, 8 and 1050 appliances.

In addition to enhancements covering just about every aspect of the product functionality, including: Security, centralized management, authentication, reporting and wireless, the following has been addressed:

• v11.4 allows better management of thousands of applications from Skype to Facebook, YouTube and more.
• New centralized management features will simplify the task of deploying security policies across multiple appliances. Templates are more flexible than ever, with inheritance and override settings that allow policies to be deployed across one, some or all appliances under the centralized management.
• Configuration History & Rollback for devices under centralized management gives the administrator the ability to “turn back the clock” and rever to a previous known good configuration when using the WSM Management Server.
• New authentication features will help ensure that every user and/or group has the correct security policy. These include the ability to authenticate users who are on Microsoft Terminal Servers or Citrix Server; support for multiple Active Directory groups, 802.1x authentication for the XTM 2 Series Wireless models and more!
• Enhanced IPS delivers rock-solid security with great efficiency and ease of configuration; IPS can now be configured independently of the security proxy/ies.
• New reporting functionality includes reports on Application Control and on several other functional areas, such as DHCP lease activity.
• Rogue wireless access point detection for the XTM 2 Series Wireless models.

In addition to the features listed above, 11.4 includes many smaller enhancements and bug fixes in many different areas of Fireware and WSM.

Active LiveSecurity subscribers can upgrade now free of charge!

If you would like additional information about these updates, need assistance applying the update or would like to renew your WatchGuard LiveSecurity subscription or purchase a WatchGuard product in the Greenville / Upstate SC area, please call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We are WatchGuard partners and resellers!

We received a promotion announcement today that states SonicWALL has a buy one get one free deal on their CDP backup appliances and thought we would pass this on to you.

If you are looking to purchase a SonicWALL CDP 110 or 210 Backup and Recovery Appliance, please call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com because this is a great deal for you!

Hurry because there is a small window of opportunity for us to claim this promotion…  This only applies to our Greenville and Upstate business clients.

Homeland Secure IT is a partner and reseller of SonicWALL security and backup appliances. We also offer installation and support!

Today, while talking with a client, I was reminded how different Homeland Secure IT is from some of the other PC service companies.

This client told me how much money she had spent at one repair facility and her problem was not taken care of at all. She initially took her computer in for a diagnoses of an issue, which she was charged 100 dollars for and told they would credit her 25% of that amount if she proceeded with the computer repairs they quoted at 150 dollars (so now we are talking about $75 + $150). She went for it and a week later had her computer back. Unfortunately, the problem came back quickly.

She lived with the problem for a few days until the computer was no longer functional and took it back to the place that had just charged her $225 plus tax, and sold her an anti-virus program. They cleaned the virus / malware off the computer again, and discounted the new repairs to only $75. ($300 invested in service alone, and a week and a half downtime).

Guess what? The problem came back!!!!  Obviously, the anti-virus program was not working correctly, or there were deeper issues. Again she went to the computer service place and they wanted to wipe and reload the computer, and quoted her $150 to back it up, wipe/reload, update it, install software and restore her data. That’s not too bad, except for the fact she had invested quite a bit of  money already!)

I guess we are a little different here. We don’t charge an evaluation fee at all. If we should happen to miss something and a computer goes out the door only to be reinfected, we would not normally charge additional fees (unless the client insisted on installing Limewire / torrent and other p2p apps, basically opening themselves up to all kinds of computer and network security issues)…

If you suspect you may have a virus, trojan, rootkit, or malware in general on your computer, let us help you – we have fast turn-around, fair prices, and we want you to be totally satisfied! We will go to your Greenville / Upstate business, or you can bring your workstation to us and take advantage of a reduced labor rate! Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Server, or even Mac OS-X, we’re here for you.

864.990.4748 or info@homelandsecureit.com for more information.

If you have a computer nightmare of your own, we would love to hear it… Click that comments section and tell us all about it!

Amy Wood, one of our favorite news media personalities has a dream of winning a Shorty Award! You can read more about Amy’s call to action on her blog, The Ribbit.

If you have a twitter account, please take a moment to help out someone who has done a lot for the Upstate and Greenville by heading over to http://shortyawards.com/tvamy be sure you have selected “Journalist” (it should default to that), and vote for TVAmy. You will need to add something behind the “because…” line for your vote to count. If you don’t have a twitter account, now would be a great time to sign up for an account. Your very first tweet could be your nomination of Amy!

With YOUR help, we can have someone from the Upstate win this award! Please share with your friends…

Windows MultiPoint Server 2011

Microsoft is planning a March release for it’s Windows MultiPoint Server 2011.

Some nifty features are included in this version, such as the ability for a teacher / instructor to view student desktops as thumbnails and to interact with those sessions. Use of thin clients over LAN allows for virtually unlimited distances between stations, connect multiple MultiPoint Servers and manage from MultiPoint Manager console, split screen ability at each user stations allows for use of each station by two people (collaboration and sharing), Active Directory connectivity to your existing domain, and more!

And of course for those of you who purchased MultiPoint Server 2010 with Software Assurance (SA), you can upgrade with no additional charge!

Want to know more about MultiPoint Server 2011? Microsoft has information available HERE.

Some great videos are available on the TechNet SBS blog, one of which follows:

From the looks of it, Windows MultiPoint is growing up and stands to make a real impact in classrooms!

If you would like additional information about the forthcoming releases of Microsoft MultiPoint 2011 Server or Microsoft Small Business Server 2011, please call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We are a Microsoft Small Business Specialist partner and can help your Greenville / Upstate business determine what is right for you!

Cisco, internationally known for manufacturing cutting edge security, telephony, connectivity, video and storage solutions has bestowed upon Homeland Secure IT, the title of “Cisco SMB Select Partner”, rewarding our competencies, our know-how and the professional manner in which we manage projects.

While we have been able to offer the Cisco product line since we first opened our doors, we can now offer the entire SMB line of products which are designed with the Small and Medium business in mind. The Cisco SMB Select Partner is specially trained and certified to assist businesses with less than 250 users with this line of products designed especially for them!

Some of the products include:

Network video cameras to protect your business from slip, trip & fall type claims, theft, vandalism and even terrorist or violent criminal activities.

NAS or Network Area Storage, which allow centralized storage of your video from cameras, data from users and even backups.

VoIP or Voice over IP phone systems that permit your business to have state of the art features, such as a single number for people to dial that rings your desk phone and cell phone simultaneously, voice mail that goes to your email, automated attendant, etc.

Firewalls and other security products required to protect your internal infrastructure from external intrusion and to keep your business in compliance with regulations, as well as stopping spam and virus at the gateway before it enters your network.

Connectivity devices, like switches (both managed and unmanaged), routers, wireless access points and bridges.

In addition to offering these products, we also offer complete service and support for the entire Cisco SMB line and licensing of SMARTnet, Trend Micro / Cisco Spam & Virus Blocker subscription sales and renewals and more!

If you would like more information about the Cisco SMB offerings, please visit our Cisco Showcase,  email info@homelandsecureit.com or call 864.990.4748. We are proud to be your Cisco SMB Select Partner in Greenville and Upstate SC!

Yep, still nasty out there. I spent 3+ hours with my daughter clearing our driveway though, so at least we can get out (maybe not back in) tomorrow and hope to be at the office by 10AM.

Regardless, we will still be available via phone, email, etc should you need computer or network support.

If you are driving in that mess, please be careful… Greenville and the Upstate of SC is a winter wonderland!  #snomg