Merry Christmas from Homeland Secure IT

Christmas is almost upon us!

Hope you have your shopping done by now, and if not, well, it’s not too late to order a notebook, netbook, desktop or tablet computer from Homeland Secure IT!

We offer sales of all major brands of computers and components such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer, NexLink, Asus, Samsung and more. Whether it is a business computer or one for your personal uses, we have something for you or the person on your list you have forgotten about not found the perfect gift for!

Orders placed are generally here at our Greenville office the next business day before lunch at no additional charge!!!!

We will be closing on Friday, December 23rd so our staff can spend time with their families, and we will be in the field on a server deployment on Monday, December 26th, however, we *WILL* be available for emergency calls should you need us!

HP ProBook 4530s Notebook

Last week we had to cut the cord and let our baby girl go off to college… That was more difficult than I care to relate to you in a blog post!

One of the items on our task list was to secure a quality notebook that she could probably use for the four years she is in school.

Being obsessive-compulsive, I started comparing every notebook that was available to me that fit the specs I had determined (Keep in mind that Homeland Secure IT offers HP, Dell, Toshiba, Acer, Lenovo, Nexlink and more for sale). This was an overwhelming job!

Once I had narrowed it down to a handful of machines, with the proper specs and within the target price range, one notebook stood out.

It was the HP ProBook 4530s, and more specifically the XU015UT#ABA, based around the Intel Core i3, with 4 GB of RAM, 320GB HDD, DVD-Writer w/LightScribe, 802.11n wi-fi, gigabit network, Intel 3000 graphics, Bluetooth 3.0, built-in webcam & mic, Microsoft Windows Home Premium, memory card reader, even a biometric fingerprint reader, and more.

There’s lots of expansion available besides the card reader and connectivity, through the 4 USB ports (1 is USB 3.0), VGA and HDMI video outputs and an ExpressCard/34 port.

With its 15.6″ LED display, it is easy on the eyes, and uses a minimal amount of power. It is also fairly light for such a big notebook at 5.5lbs. The finish is “pretty” and the build is sturdy.

The outstanding 6+ hour battery life was what sealed the deal.  And I tested it several times over after we got it to see just what the battery life was, and as advertised, it was on the nose, and better when using battery saving technologies like letting the screen darken when on battery.

This model is available at Staples currently for $579.oo, and amazingly enough, Homeland Secure IT can match their price, which is surprising since they buy in large quantities.

It comes with Microsoft Office Starter 2010, so all you need to purchase is a product key card (PKC) to enable the full versions of Microsoft Office, available at a minimal additional cost.

Whether you get the HP 4530s from us, or someone else, I don’t believe you can go wrong. Check one out!

For more information about notebook computers in the Greenville / Upstate SC area, either for yourself or your business, please call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com

Here’s a question for you all…

Why is the apparent rate of hardware failure higher with Apple Mac products than with Microsoft Windows based products?

Homeland Secure IT’s typical client is a Windows based small or medium business, and a little less than 5% of those businesses and individuals have Apple Mac products that we support as well. A larger number have iPads and iPhones, but I won’t touch on those in this blog, I’ll focus on the Apple Mac desktops and notebooks.

So far this year, we have seen a higher rate of component failure in Mac products than we have in all the hundreds of PCs and Servers we support that are from various manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, NexLink, etc.

We have had a slew of Macs with total hard drive failures.  Western Digital (WD) seems to comprise the majority of those drives as I recall.  Not just one model in particular, but notebooks and desktops.

We also have had Mac power supply and video card issues.

All these problems totally cripple the computer in all but a few cases, and labor is much more intensive on many of these products than they are on a typical Windows based PC.

For instance, you should try removing the power supply from a big G5 Mac. This is not a 15 minute procedure like it is on those Windows based computers. And have you priced one of these power supplies? We can get some outstanding power supplies for a typical PC for less than 60 dollars. Not the case with the Apple power supply at all.

A hard drive replacement in an HP desktop is physically accomplished in 10 minutes, and to reload Windows 7, patch it all up with updates, apply all support software like Adobe and Java products will take another 30-40 minutes.

On an Apple iMac 20″ with the black plastic back, you have to pull the front screen cover off with appropriate suction cups, take the LCD panel out, transfer mounting components and temp sensors to the new drive, load the OS and updates… We’re talking about nearly twice as long, and those who rush this job or attempt it at home end up scratching the screen covers, breaking LCD panels or damaging cables that go to them.

But I digress…  Let’s get back to the original question. Why are Apple Mac products failing at a higher rate than inexpensive Windows based PCs?  If only 5% of our business is comprised of Apple products, why are those 5% of machines exceeding the failure rate of the less expensive Windows alternative machines?

Scouring the forums and blogs results in finding people with the same experiences…

This has me curious enough to track it carefully going forward, so maybe I will post a follow-up, but until then, I would love to hear your input.

If you happen to be in the Greenville or Upstate SC area and require Apple Mac service, please give us a call at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We are less expensive than many alternatives and provide fast and reliable service!

Lenovo’s new ThinkPad Edge E420 (1141-55U) notebook has all the features that make for an enjoyable business user experience, in addition to claims of it including “Advanced VoIP features”.

With businesses going global, video conferencing has become the new standard for communication. ThinkPad Edge E420, featuring a low light-sensitive 720P HD camera and multimedia function keys, delivers a high-quality video conferencing experience. These features coupled with noise reduction technology and the new 2nd generation Intel^® Core™ i3 processors make it a perfect choice for SMB customers.

• 2nd generation Intel Core i3-2310M processor
• Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
• 320GB/7200rpm hard disk drive
• 4GB memory
• Spill-resistant keyboard
• Digital microphone
• HDMI 1.4 for projecting HD
• 4.6lbs
• 4.2 hr

All that for $579.oo!

Homeland Secure IT is proud to be your Greenville / Upstate Lenovo partner. We offer the full line of Lenovo products, including the new E420! Call us today at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com.

If you are in the market for a new business computer, where do you go in the Greenville / Upstate area?

Do you go to a “big box store”? A warehouse? An office supply?

You should be aware that the “business computer” you purchase from some dealers may actually be a computer designed for home use, and not actually a business environment.

Here are a few differences between a home computer and a business computer:

• Home computers generally are designed for faster graphics (aka games) and not processes, such as multi-tasking with business applications, where you have QuickBooks, Microsoft Office and other business applications open simultaneously.
• Home computers are likely to have small power supplies, or power supplies that claim higher wattage output, when in reality, that is maximum power output, not average power output.
• Home computers may have inferior cooling systems, such as fans with bushings instead of ball bearings, possibly causing damage to the computer itself if failure should occur.
• Home computers do not have the hard drives designed for long duty cycles (being left on long periods of time), and tend to fail much quicker than their business spec counterparts.
• Home computers generally have Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium loaded by default and cannot join a corporate domain without an upgrade to Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate.
• Home computers have cases and motherboards that may not lend themselves to expansion (IE, adding drives, or additional cards).
• Home computers in most cases do not have long warranties (Our business class computers are sold with a 3 year warranty!).
• Support for your home computer is rarely easy to obtain. You may have to call a call center, stay on hold, then speak to someone who may not speak your language as their own primary language. Returns and replacement parts are hard to obtain sometimes. Our business computers are supported by *US* as well as the manufacturer who is reachable, speaks English, and will ship parts next business day at no additional charge.

Before you purchase your next business computer in Greenville / Upstate SC, consider comparing specifications with a computer designed from the ground up for use in a business! Will it cost more? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Absolutely!

Call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information.  We are partners with the best computer manufacturers in the world: Seneca Data / Nexlink, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, and more!  Not only are we a computer dealer, we also service / repair business computers.

HP StorageWorks RDX Technology

When selecting a backup solution, you may be considering one of the following:

LTO, DLT, DAT Tape – The de facto standard in backup media for business and enterprise. Though it is growing a little long in the tooth, the format has proven itself to be reliable and affordable when you consider the lifetime of the drive and the media. These are available in a variety of flavors, from SCSI, to SATA, internal and external. And for those needing massive storage and speed, there are enormous auto-loaders such as 96 slot HP LTO 5 fiber channel systems.

Iomega REV removable cartridge systems – Outdated, no longer sold or supported by Iomega. (You can still buy media)

Portable hard drives – While these seem attractive because they are cheap and available at every office supply house in town, the reliability of these devices is not idea for mission critical solutions. The constant plugging and unplugging of USB cables can wear connectors out prematurely and there is the slight possibility that a server can be damaged by static when plugging in a drive. Most IT people feel this is a better solution than no solution at all.

Remote Backup or In-The-Cloud backup – We offer Servosity Online Backup and feel it is a great addition to any existing hardware backup system you may have, and could serve as your primary backup if so desired. These are affordable solutions that require very little hands-on time.

Network based disk storage – These are awesome for speed, and convenience, but they generally remain on site and in the event of a catastrophic disaster such as fire, flood, or even theft, you could be left with no backup. This falls under the “much better than nothing” category.

Flash drives and other non-volatile storage media, including CD & DVD – Again, this better than nothing and surely works for small amounts of data, but longevity may be in question. CDs and DVDs have a lifespan after written to, usually of only a few years, making long term archival use impossible. Flash drives are great to make a quick backup, but there are occurrences of people losing data on one from high powered RF devices erasing them. Probably not a solution for most businesses.

A plethora of other technologies exist, but one that has been gaining momentum in the business and enterprise market is RDX.

RDX, or Removable Disk Technology is based around a docking station that accepts an RDX cartridge. The cartridge encases and protects a hard drive. RDX cartridges come in many sizes, whether you need 160GB or 1.5TB, there is bound to be one that fits your data needs.

What makes RDX different from a typical portable or removable drives? It is a “hardened” solution that encloses the hard drive and enables it to take a drop of up to 1 meter. These systems also offer protection from static discharge. A typical RDX can move upwards of a 100GB an hour. If you outgrow the the original size cartridge, you can begin replacing them with larger capacity as the dock is backwards and forwards compatible with any other RDX cartridge.

RDX is a standard that allows you to purchase cartridges from any manufacture to use in your system. It also offers a shelf life of up to 30 years, allowing you to archive your data and know that if the IRS audits you, you can access it.

No need to upgrade your current backup software in most cases when switching to RDX as the technology is already supported in most backup applications such as Symantec Backup Exec!

If you are looking for a backup solution, whether it is your first, or an upgrade of a current system, then you may wish to give RDX a close look. Call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We offer RDX products from HP, Imation, Lenovo, and Quantum to name a few. We offer a free evaluation in Greenville and the Upstate of South Carolina.

The SP 4000 Notebook from Nexlink means BUSINESS

When buying a new or replacement notebook for your business, you may turn to Dell, HP, Lenovo, or Toshiba for trusted and reliable products, that is why we are partners with and offer these fine brands! However, there are some outstanding alternatives which may be of interest to your company.

First, let’s discuss the difference between a computer designed for consumers and one designed specifically for business. The most notable difference is that a computer purchased for home use will come loaded with Microsoft Windows 7 Home (either basic or premium), which will not allow your shiny new computer to join a corporate domain. The business computer will have Microsoft Windows 7 Professional loaded on it, which supports all domain functions required to associate with your corporate domain. You *can* upgrade a Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium computer to have the Professional or even Ultimate version of the operating system on it, but you will spend additional money and additional time doing so.

Lastly, the hardware design of the business computer may and likely does incorporate higher quality components, such as hard drive, displays, cooling fans, and even power supplies, which are designed with longer duty cycles in mind. The “duty cycle” is the amount of time the computer may be used. Typically a business computer will be on 24/7, or at the very least, from 8AM to 5PM Monday through Friday, while a home or consumer based system may see only a couple hours a day. A manufacturer will want to design their business based computer to outlast their warranty period for a computer that is on continuously. In the case of notebooks, a business notebook may be more robustly built to handle the abuse that a typical worker inflicts upon their systems.

What does this mean for you and your business? Simply stated, putting a computer built for home use to work at your company will function, but will it provide the user experience and the longevity of a system designed specifically for that purpose? In our experience, the odds are 50/50, and those are not enough in our favor to attempt, so we always recommend a system built for the job.

The downside to purchasing business computer systems is that the upfront costs are going to be higher. To offset some of that, you may wish to look into alternative business systems instead of the mainstream brands.

We are proud to offer Seneca Data Nexlink SP Series Notebook computers which feature Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Pentium, Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors,  13.3″ or 15.6″ displays with 1366×768 resolution, webcam, Intel HM55 Express Chipset, NVIDA GeForce GT 330M 1GB graphics, full numeric keypad and a full docking station as options.

Seneca Data is a mature company with over 30 years of experience in offering solutions right here in America! We have extensive experience with Seneca Data’s Nexlink brand of custom-built desktops, notebooks, servers and storage devices. Each Nexlink platform is assembled using on the highest quality, tier-one components and undergoes rigorous testing to receive Windows (R) Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) approval. Nexlink products consistantly offer performance, quality and reliability to Business, Government, Education, Healthcare, Enthusiast, and OEM customers nationwide.

Another advantage is that in the event of the need for customer support, we as vendors have had a pleasant experience in dealing with Seneca because they are a US based company, with technical support that speaks English! No disrespect meant to any other company, but when we are trying to do our job, adding a language barrier does not make matters easier.

The next time you need to buy a notebook, consider Seneca Data’s Nexlink SP series! We can spec one to suit your needs. We offer the full line of Nexlink products, from desktops, thin clients, tablet computers to servers! Call us at 864-990-4748 ext 201 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information! If you are in Greenville or the Upstate, we will come to you to evaluate your needs!

Those of you who are lucky enough to live in the Great State of South Carolina can look forward to August 6th as that starts the Sales Tax Holiday!

That’s right, starting at 12:01AM on Friday, August 6th and ending at 12:00PM on Sunday, August 8th is your chance to buy items for student use without the 6% SC State sales tax.

The catch is – the items you purchase must fit into two categories – #1 it must be for school use, and #2 it must fit the long list of appropriate products, which can be found at www.sctax.org.

Technology-wise, if you are attending a university, a technical college, or have a child in school, you can purchase an entire computer, notebook / laptop, printers, and software and get this savings. You can’t buy computer parts, such as a monitor, UNLESS you purchase that monitor at the time you purchase the computer.

This could be an awesome opportunity to save some money… Imagine if you were planning on buying a top-of-the-line computer, with a big LCD monitor, Microsoft Office 2010 and Trend Micro anti-virus, not having to pay tax could save you enough to upgrade to an even BIGGER LCD monitor for the same price as you would pay if you purchased this system today. Or, optionally, if you are like my family with two children, and you have to buy two similar systems – waiting until the SC Tax Holiday could save enough money in taxes to buy my wife dinner at Ruth’s Chris or Pomegranate which would go a long way towards calming her down over such a large expenditure.

If you are a computer / network / technology student, learning to perform computer service, network support, etc, I believe this would cover your purchase of Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft Exchange, Cisco firewalls and security equipment as well, but please do read the information at the www.sctax.org site to make sure.  It will surely cover expensive software such as Adobe suites which students can already get a discount for the academic version, but a further 6% sure helps!

Homeland Secure IT is an authorized reseller for many outstanding computer / notebook companies such as Lenovo, HP, Toshiba, Nexlink and Dell, as well as Cisco, WatchGuard, SonicWall & Microsoft partners, so if we can help you with that next computer purchase or upgrade, let us know! We serve Greenville and the Upstate of SC…

Happy shopping!

The Android Wars Are Coming

The tablet computer wars are coming…  The awesome little Apple iPad will soon have serious competition from some big names in desktop, laptop and notebook computers….

Cisco, Lenovo, Toshiba, HP and LG, to name a few have either made plans to release pad / tablet computers, or have actually got a product to offer. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

No longer will you have to choose an Apple iPad, you will be able to select tablets based on the Google Android operating system, which will instantly provide you with tons of apps from the Android scene, and when HP gets their WebOS based system out, which was really part of the Palm lineup, that will be yet another platform for the tablet market. We shouldn’t forget about Microsoft (which some of you would love to), as they have an OS that is working on tablets also.

So how will you decide which is the best solution for you? It may come down to dollars and cents for some, while others may select based upon devices they already own. I was sure that most Mac and iPhone users would opt for an iPad out of owner loyalty to the brand, but the Android offering seems to be getting a lot of attention among the current Apple owners, enough so that they are holding out for the Android pads to hit the market!

Only time will tell who will come out on top, but my money is on the consumer in the end, as they are going to get many choices and the competition between brands and platforms will help bring the prices down!

There may be a few of you who want to be early adopters of the Android tablet and purchase an imported product. Buyer beware here – they may not support the new Android OS due out later this year…

Homeland Secure IT offers tablet computers built on the proven Windows platform currently, and as soon as HP releases their WebOS based product, we will offer that as well as any other products which are suited to business use mainly, like the Android Powered Cisco Cius tablet. Please contact us at 864-990-4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information

Do you need help with your network? Homeland Secure IT, LLC provides network support services to Upstate and Greenville, SC businesses and individuals. Whether you need Microsoft Patches put on your Microsoft Server, or an upgrade to your Microsoft Exchange Server, we can assist! We sell new and maintain existing servers, desktop PCs, and network infrastructure such as routers, firewalls and other security appliances. We also sell and install network security cameras which you can use to keep an eye on your business from afar.

We are authorized partners for Microsoft, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Quantum, SonicWall, Cisco, Toshiba, MSI, Digium VoIP, Trend Micro AV and many more!

Yes we do far more than just computer repair work, we do it ALL! Our rates are reasonable and our service cannot be beat!

Call us today and find out what we can do for you with a no cost, no obligation evaluation of your network!