Apple iPhone, iPad and Mac with Office 365

I've been a user of an iPhone since the 3G and we've had clients use Apple products for several years now.  The question frequently comes up about the integration between these "iProducts" and Office 365.  I can say that the integration is very good and at times even better than with Windows products.  There are keys to making the integration smooth.  One in particular is to make sure that if you are syncing your iPhone, your iPad and your Macbook Air email, calendar and contacts with Office 365's Exchange online, you need to setup your accounts in the Mail, Calendar and Contacts settings of your devices correctly.  For best results, switch to ONLY Office 365 accounts.  If you must maintain an iCloud or Google account, make the Office 365 accounts your default.  You'll have seamless sync and won't be puzzled about where a contact or calendar item went.  

The OneDrive integration with the "iProducts" is good as well.  You will be able to access all of those files and folders from just about any device and edit them with Office WebApps.  If you want help migrating to this type of cloud based file storage, synchronization and convenience, we're happy to help!

Windows XP EOL FAQs

Windows XP was released to the public October 2001 and has been heavily supported with three service packs and extensions to the extended support, but now the time has come for Microsoft to stop supporting XP along with Exchange 2003 and Office 2003 on April 8, 2014.

Q: What do you mean Microsoft will stop supporting Windows XP?

A: If Microsoft encountered an issue with their operating system (OS) they would release monthly updates - patches - to fix any problems that occurred as long as the product is being supported by them. Once a product is no longer being supported, Microsoft WILL NOT release any updates or provide online technical assistance on Microsoft.com, which will put the machines, users, other sensitive information at risk of being compromised from hackers and other malicious software (trojans, viruses, rootkits, etc.).

Q: Will the software mentioned above still work after April 8, 2014?

A: Microsoft Windows XP, Office 2003 and Exchange 2003 will still work regardless of the products not being supported by Microsoft. The key thing is that if you encountered any problems with these services after support ends then your IT staff or consultant will be left to look for support through online forums for fixes, which will cost your company both valuable time and money. It is RECOMMENDED to upgrade to a newer version of software that is supported by Microsoft.

Q: Are there other versions of Microsoft Windows to replace Windows XP?

A: Since Windows XP is not being supported after April 8, 2014 you may be thinking of purchasing a replacement OS. Microsoft currently has on the market both Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows 8/8.1. Both of these operating systems are currently available by all major retailers, online vendors, and volume licensing with support ending after 2020. Windows Vista is also available in select arenas, but Microsoft Support for Windows Vista ends April 11th, 2017 so we recommend to avoid purchasing Windows Vista.

Q: What is volume licensing?

A: Volume licensing is a way for companies and businesses to purchase large amounts of OS with one license key instead of purchasing multiple consumer copies that carry different product keys.

Q: I noticed that they have two versions of an OS out: a 32-bit and a 64-bit, what are they and how can I figure out which version I am running?

A: Almost all mainstream OS and software companies tend to sell or release two versions of the product; a 32-bit (x86) and a 64-bit (x64). Many older systems built and purchased before 2006-07 have 32-bit processors inside of them while the majority of PC sales up until 2008 contain a 64-bit processor. Getting into the details between the two are beyond the scope of this FAQ, but overall the 64-bit processor can handle more data and support more memory (RAM) than its 32-bit predecessor. To find out which version you are using along with more information, click the following link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/32-bit-and-64-bit-windows#1TC=windows-7.

Q: How would I go about making all of this easier for my company without having to worry about so much technical information?

A: Talk with your company’s IT staff or IT consulting when it comes to upgrading from Windows XP to see whether they are currently working on this project for both you and your staff. If you do not have any IT consulting and would like some help with upgrading from Windows XP, Office 2003, Exchange 2003 then please request more information at www.desktopco-op.com.

"The Digital Dentist" It Could Be Too Good To Be True

If you've been hearing reports of a "so called industry expert" claim to be "the" answer to all of your technology needs, it could be too good to be true.  Whether your business is a dental office, law office, accounting practice or restaurant, you want expertise and when it comes to technology, you want a technology expert.  

Someone who claims that he has 10 years of dental experience does not necessarily understand technology any more than he understands how to engineer the transmission in your SUV.  He has expertise, but it is in dentistry, not in technology.  He may know a lot about the different types of dental software applications and hardware, but does he know enough to keep your data safe? enough to keep intruders out of your system? enough to cloud enable your systems and processes and thereby save you thousands of dollars now and in the future?  We've noticed that he doesn't have what it takes.  We've noticed that he could be making an offer that is too good to be true.

We've noticed that the "industry experts" make a good case in the beginning, but when it comes to successfully implementing identity management, database, backup, security and email systems, they fail and the results are way below what you would experience with the average technology expert.  In one specific situation we observed, a newly installed "industry expert" system was left without many of the protections that we technology experts implement by default, protections like automatic updates, limited accounts and individual user accounts.  These protections are mandated by HIPAA and PCI compliance standards.  Failing these standards could lead to lost revenue and the inability to accept credit cards.  Before you let your practice fall in the hands of someone who claims to be an expert please let us review the promises they make.  They may be "experts" in their field, but we will point out cavities that require real technology expertise to fill.

When a UPS is Not a UPS.

If you're looking for a UPS (battery backup) to run your critical applications and services, don't just go online and make a quick purchase.  Realize that UPSes come in different sizes and varieties and you'll need to choose according to your situation.  

• The key differentiation will be whether your equipment is using Active Power Factor Correction power supplies.  If so, you will need to purchase a UPS that supports that, otherwise, when the power goes out, your system will too.  
• Another key factor is knowing whether your systems will be running on a generator.  If you're going to be using a generator, you'll want to make sure your UPSes use Double-Conversion  UPS Topology.  If you use Line-Interactive UPS Topology, your UPS may run on battery the whole time that your generator is providing power.  Unless you have a very brief power outage, your systems will eventually be without power and will fail.

If you need help sizing, purchasing, installing or configuring UPSes, please give us a call and we will be happy to assist. 

Older Citrix XenApp Infrastructure with New Clients

If you're using an older XenApp infrastructure like Secure Gateway 3.0 and you're unable to run the latest Receiver, but still need connectivity, this post is for you.  We've had success with using the Online Plug-in 12.3.  

One issue you may encounter when using the newer Receiver with older infrastructure is that the display may lock and stop updating unless you minimize the window and go back.  12.3 will most likely resolve this issue for you, but you may encounter other issues like "No value could be found for (ClientHosted Apps) that satisfies all lockdown requirements. The lockdown requirements in force may be conflicting."  If this happens, you can look for the String Value in the key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Citrix\ICA Client\Engine\Lockdown Profiles\All Regions\Lockdown\Virtual Channels\Control" named "ClientHostedApps" and either create it or delete it.  This has solved the issue for us and others: https://forums.citrix.com/thread.jspa?threadID=293687.