What else does Homeland Secure IT do besides computers, servers and networks?

You know the elevator speech that you typical hear from people, where they pitch their services or wares to you? Mine goes something like this, “I’m John with Homeland Secure IT, and we provide small and medium businesses with computer, server and network support, service and sales here in the Upstate”.

The person I am telling will usually walk away thinking that we fix computers, or that we sell servers. All of which are correct, but by no means is that ALL we do. I can’t very well tell you, “Hi, I’m John and my company does everything related to IT”. Actually, I *have* said that, and that results in a tilt of the head and total confusion.

It is very hard to convey what we do, when in fact, we do so much!

So just what do we do? Welllllllllllll, taking a deep breath…

We DO provide service, repair, consultation and support of computers, servers, networks, mobile computers, and the like.  That means, we fix stuff! We go to a client’s location and fix a malfunctioning server, we repair a computer or replace it, we put updates on firewalls, and consult with IT and facility administrators about needs. We also perform repairs of personal home computers in our Greenville office.

But, it’s so much more than just that. A vast array of technologies are included in there, here are a few:

  • Voice over IP phone systems
  • IP Surveillance Cameras (Security cameras, CCTV, DVR)
  • Time & Attendance systems (Time clocks and time tracking hardware and software)
  • Mobile computers (Notebook, netbook, laptop, tablet, smartphone)
  • VPN and remote access to your business (secure access to files and machines)
  • Wireless / Wi-Fi systems (both small business, and much larger, for schools, campus, college, enterprise)
  • Licensing – We are licensing experts for Microsoft, Symantec, Trend Micro, Cisco and more!
  • Email – Microsoft Exchange servers, cloud based email like Google Apps / Gmail, Office 365

That’s the tip of the iceberg! We also offer full sales of these products!  We partner with the biggest names in technology and provide hardware, software and license sales!  Whether you need one or a thousand of these items here in our area, we can help.

Here’s a partial list of the manufacturers who’s products we offer:

  • Microsoft (Windows, Server, Exchange, SQL)
  • Cisco (firewall, router, switch, VoIP, camera, security, wireless)
  • Symantec (Backup Exec, endpoint virus protection)
  • WatchGuard (Firewall, security)
  • SonicWall (firewall, security)
  • TrendNet (Switch, firewall, router, camera, wireless)
  • D-Link (Switch, firewall, router, storage, camera, wireless)
  • LinkSys (Switch, router, wireless)
  • Trend Micro (WFBS, anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-spam)
  • Acer (computer, netbook, notebook, tablet, laptop, monitor)
  • Samsung (computers, monitors and much more)
  • Toshiba (computers and more)
  • Lenovo (computer, server, tablet and more)
  • NexLink (business computer, server & tablet solutions)
  • AcroPrint (Time and attendance systems)
  • AVTECH (Server room monitoring)
  • Jabra (headsets of all styles from wireless to corded)
  • HP (computer, server, printer, network and more)
  • DELL (computer, server, backup network and more)
  • Servosity On Demand Backup (Remote backup solution)
  • Audio-technica (headphones, microphones)
  • Sennheiser (audio – headphone, microphone)
  • Asus (computer, display)
  • Panasonic (high speed scanner, printer and security)
  • Ricoh (printer, scanner, copier, etc)
  • Brother (printer, scanner, copier, etc)
  • DA-LITE (projection screens, projector mounts)
  • SNOM (IP phones)
  • SMC Networks (network switches and more)
  • LG Erricson (switches, VoIP)
  • Intuit (Quicken, Quickbooks)
  • Eaton (power supplies, UPS, power conditioning products)
  • Quantum (Backup tape drives, RDX)
  • Tandberg (Backup, tape, RDX drives)
  • Adaptec (Controllers for SCSI, RAID, SAS, tape)
  • Digium (VoIP systems)
  • MSI (motherboard, notebook)
  • MozyPro (remote online backup)
  • Adobe (Photoshop, dreamweaver, creative suite, CS)

Sorry about that, had to cut myself off again. The list goes on and on. We are able to provide products from these manufacturers AND the expertise to install and support them!

I sometimes think it would be easier to answer the question of, “What do you guys do?” with if it were rephrased to be, “What DON’T you guys do?”…   Then I would answer, “We don’t windows”.  Oh but we do!

If we can assist you or your business with anything technology related, please give us a call at 864.990.4748 or use our handy CONTACT form. Whatever you need – We do IT!

 

 

 

Russian hackers raked in 4.5 billion dollars in 2011

Thirty-six percent of the estimated $12.5 billion in ill-gotten gains by cybercriminals in 2012 can be attributed Russian-speaking hackers through various online criminal tactics according to an article over on ComputerWorld’s site.

How can you help protect your business from becoming a victim? The only 100% effective way is to not be connected to the internet, however that would make conducting business very difficult in this day and age.

Here’s a short list to help lower chances of becoming a victim:

  • Keep desktop and notebook computer operating systems up to date
  • Keep server operating systems up to date
  • Update all software applications including Java, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Office
  • Use modern operating systems (Windows 7 has proven less vulnerable than XP time and time again)
  • Update your Macs (yes, they are becoming a bigger target)
  • Utilize hardware firewalls at your network perimeter
  • Lock down incoming ports, allow only what is absolutely necessary
  • Use reliable and trusted anti-virus (we recommend Trend Micro Worry-Free)
  • Add a mail scrubbing gateway appliance or Trend Micro product on Exchange mail server
  • Consider locking down particular websites (Again, Trend Micro WFBS can do this)
  • Use strong passwords
  • Use HTTPS, SSL and encryption whenever possible
  • Physically secure your computers
  • Secure your wireless network
  • Use VPNs between sites
  • Get computers under control of your domain controller, including smartphones for email (remote wipe)
  • Implement a backup solution, whether hardware (tape, RDX, SAN) or cloud / remote (Servosity, MozyPro)
  • Train your staff to not open suspicious emails, visit sketchy websites, and to report oddities immediately
  • Hire an outside resource to occasionally look over your security plans. Two sets of eyes are better than one!

Obviously, there is a LOT more to keeping your network secure, but that’s a great start, and one that over half of the businesses have not even considered!

If you would like to discuss the current state of security of your network in the Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Clemson, Simpsonville, Upstate area, please give us a call at 864.990.4748 or use our CONTACT form.

We work with the biggest names in IT Security! From Cisco to WatchGuard.

Is your business computer network ready for IPv6?

This time it is for real...

Get ready for a slew of IPv6 news topics because World IPv6 Launch is right around the corner (June 6th, 2012).

This means that a boat-load of ISPs will be flipping the switch and enabling IPv6 permanently on or before this magic date. A quick google search for IPv6 news will turn up lots of articles posted in the last few days alone, such as:

These types of posts are growing in numbers rapidly.

But really, what does it mean for you?

Not to tell you that the sky is falling, but, hey, the sky is falling.  Not today, not next week, not in June, but yes, soon, your IPv4 technology will be outdated, and the smart IT administrator is currently working on a plan to migrate to IPv6.

Here’s the bad news for you:  Your old firewall or router may need to be ditched and new one purchased in order to have proper network routing. Some current firewalls and security routers that are sold today are not even compatible. And some computers and operating systems are not ready.

The good news is that many manufacturers such as Cisco, Linksys, WatchGuard, Sonicwall, Jupiter, and Zyxel have been preparing for this change-over for a while now. Microsoft has supported IPv6 for several years.

You are not without options.

If you would like to discuss how you can prepare for the inevitable, please give us a call at 864.990.4748 and arrange a consultation. You can also use our CONTACT form. We cover the Upstate and Greenville, SC area and are authorized dealers for more network and network security products and appliances.

Jabra Registered Partner

Jabra produces professional headsets solutions for office, small office / home office and contact centers. Products include corded, wireless, Bluetooth wireless, USB, unified communications enabled, DECT and GAP headsets.

For individuals, Jabra also provides wireless solutions for Mobile Phones, Music / MP3 players, Computers and Gaming. Products include mono and strereo (A2DP) Bluetooth headsets for music and calls, wireless speakerphone solutions for in-car handsfree use and corded headsets for non-Bluetooth compatible devices.

As a registered Jabra partner, Homeland Secure IT, we are more than just a reseller, we are able to assist you or your business with all your Jabra headset needs. We offer sales, support and consultation here in the Greenville and Upstate area, with knowledge provided by the manufacturer and backed with their full technical support.

Please call us today at 864.990.4748 or use our handy CONTACT form for more information.

Buy Adobe Creative Suite 6 Today!

Adobe Registered Reseller in Greenville, Upstate, SCOkay, so the headline is misleading…   Kind of…

Purchase Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 volume licensing through May 6th, 2012, and receive CS6 at no additional cost.

If your institution has been waiting to make the move, this offer is for you. You can leverage CS5.5 right now to enrich the teaching and learning experience while helping ensure your students are college and career ready.

  • Be among the first to take advantage of the newest Creative Suite software. When CS6 is released, your institution will be at the front of the line to access the most cutting-edge, feature-rich creative software available.
  • Standardize and save. Let’s face it, managing a mix of software versions with different operating systems and hardware requirements is costly and time consuming. Distributing the latest creative software across your institution gives you the opportunity to significantly reduce deployment and support costs.

CS6 is coming soon. Don’t miss this limited-time offer!

Homeland Secure IT is happy to be an authorized reseller of Adobe Creative Suite and the entire line of Adobe products such as Flash, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat, Dreamweaver, After Effects and Audition. Whether you need to buy one retail version of the software, or one thousand licenses for your corporation, we can handle that. We also offer installation and support assistance in the Greenville / Upstate, SC area.

Call 864.990.4748 or use our handy CONTACT form for more information.

Trend Micro Partner

Trend Micro offers industry leading anti-virus / anti-malware / anti-spam for home, business and enterprise.

Homeland Secure IT is proud to be a partner offering sales, support and installation in Greenville / Upstate SC. We can offer you a single license for your home, or hundreds of seats of Worry-Free Business Security or ScanMail for your business.

Don’t risk your security, don’t rely on “free” products which may be worse than having no protection at all. Protect your server, computer, network, and your mobile workforce from trojan, worm, malware infection and reduce spam to a trickle using Trend Micro products!

For more information about Trend Micro products, please use our CONTACT form, or call 864.990.4748

228,000 South Carolina Medicaid records transferred to private email acct – Trend Micro WFBS might have stopped that

There’s a story in the news right now about the South Carolina Medicaid program losing control over 228k records.

From the versions of the story I have read, it appears that individual working there transferred these records to a private email account and then to another email account. The information includes names, Medicaid ID numbers (which are also Social Security numbers).

The story claims that new security measures are in place and that those who had data stolen will be offered identity theft help.

If your business or organization retains personal, private, financial and/or medical information, you owe it to your clients to do everything in your power to protect them. This applies to law, medical, dental, and accounting businesses, but also to other types of organizations you might not think of, such as a churches, which retain personal & financial information, including social security numbers.

Fortunately, protection does not have to expensive or difficult to work around.

Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security Advanced (WFBS) offers the ability to lock down all computers running the software so an employee cannot insert a USB memory stick and transfer information from a workstation, while also giving the ability to forbid employees to surf to defined categories of websites, like personal or outside email providers (gmail for instance).

Additionally, Trend Micro WFBS Advanced can be configured to disallow sending of attached files, or even emails that contain social security numbers.

These are not add-on services, they are built into the software.

Homeland Secure IT is your partner for Trend Micro products in the Greenville / Upstate area, offering sales, support and consultation. Whether your business needs five licenses to protect 5 computers, or five thousand licenses to protect multiple servers, computers and even roaming notebooks, we can help!

Call us at 864.990.4748 for information or use our handy CONTACT form.

Servosity On Demand Backup Partner

Servosity has set the new standard in On Demand BackUp and Recovery services. Our solution is engineered for businesses that know the value of their data and more importantly the cost of losing it. Our team consists of a talented mix of developers, researchers, market analysts, and client support specialists who all have a desire to serve. Servosity was formed to provide you, our valued client with the best in On Demand BackUp and Recovery services. We left no stone unturned in our efforts to provide an On Demand BackUp and Recovery service that is secure, dependable, and easy to use. We knew that if we could accomplish this goal that the only question left would be “How much is your data worth” to you? To most businesses the answer to that question is “PRICELESS”.

The Team at Servosity has positioned itself to be the industry leader of On Demand BackUp and Recovery services. Our BackUp on Demand and Recovery solution allows our clients to rest easy knowing that their data is secure and there when they need it. With Servosity your data will be protected and you can focus on growing your business.

Homeland Secure IT is your Greenville / Upstate SC provider of Servosity’s On Demand, online backup solution. Whether you need to protect one roaming notebook computer, a fleet of laptops, or just about any type of server, from a simple Microsoft Windows file server, to a Microsoft Exchange, SQL or even Linux machines, Servosity can work for you!

It works with Apple Mac and Linux too!

Call us today at 864.990.4748 for a free trial or use our CONTACT form.

Da-Lite Dealer

For over 100 years, Da-Lite has been designing, manufacturing and marketing the most comprehensive line of projection screens in the world. Today, we offer our widest selection ever of proprietary projection screen fabrics and materials in our history. Whether you need a projection screen for a corporate boardroom or a residential media room, Da-Lite has the solution. That’s the Da-Lite Difference.

Homeland Secure IT is your Greenville / Upstate SC source for Da-Lite conference room screens, projector and monitor stands and much more.

Whether you need automatic and ultra-quite drop down screens for your church, conference center, or permanently fixed screens for a smaller conference or board room, or projector mounts that retract and hide in the ceiling, we can assist with that.

Call us with any questions or needs you may have at 864.990.4748 or use our CONTACT form.

 

SECURE IT ALERT: Mac malware making headlines (this is not a repeat)

Secure IT Alert Header

Homeland Secure IT Alert

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Flashback was so last month. The new hotness is SabPub, which actually has been around for a while now, but only recently making its appearance in the headlines. Even though SabPub has been around for around two months, it was not discovered in the wild until a few days ago.

Not unlike Flashback, one source of entry to your beloved Mac for this trojan is through Java, in fact, the very same vulnerability as leveraged by Flashback. Another SabPub variant uses a well known and publicized vulnerability in Microsoft Office’s Word.

What should you do? Insure updates are in place for your operating system, and that Java is up to date, as well as any Adobe software/plugins like Flash Player, Reader, Acrobat, etc.

Also, purchase a reliable anti-virus software package immediately.

What if you are already infected? Find a reputable and reliable computer repair / service shop in your area and let them check it out. Some service centers like Homeland Secure IT offer a free evaluation of your machine.  You can call us at 864.990.4748 for more information.

Homeland Secure IT Alert Footer

Homeland Secure IT Alert