Blog

Yesterday Google released a collection of high quality open source fonts for use on the web along with an API that allows you to use them.  See the following for more details:

http://googlecode.blogspot.com/2010/05/introducing-google-font-api-google-font.html

Looks like it could be a big deal!

For many users, one of the most confusing aspects of a Google Apps implementation is the discontinuity between a Google Apps account and a Google Account.  Currently some Google services are available only via a Google Account login which is different from a Google Apps login.  Examples of such services include Google's webmaster tools, Picassa, and iGoogle. 

To minimize confusion, I recommend that Google Apps users establish a Google Account with the same userId and password as their Google Apps account.  This works, however, better integration of Google services with a firm's Google Apps infrastructure is clearly needed.

Based on a 5/6/2010 blog post from Google (http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-google-applications-coming-for.html) it appears that this issue will be resolved by the Fall of 2010 with access to early adopters in the Summer of 2010.

This is a welcome change and plugs one of the significant holes that I've found in the implementation of Google Apps.

Reformation Technology, LLC's new small business appliance provides capabilities that many small businesses only dream of. Just think of how you could take your business to the next level if you had access to:

• an advanced phone system
• an enterprise grade firewall to protect your network from intruders
• an enterprise grade Virtual Private Network (VPN) allowing you to securely access network resources when away from the office
• a robust Network Attached Storage (NAS) system for sharing files and backing up your computers

The Ultimate Small Business Appliance provides all of these capabilities in a single system at a very attractive price through the creative use of Open Source software and virtualization technologies.

The centerpiece of our appliance is the embedded phone system that provides enterprise features including:

• Web based administration interface
• Web based call detail reporting
• Support for traditional handsets and trunk lines
• Support for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones and trunks
• VoIP handsets
• Computer based “soft” phones
• Access to flexible, low cost Internet trunks providing free long distance
• Location transparency allowing you to use the office phone system from anywhere with an Internet connection
• “Follow-me” capabilities to automatically route calls to your location
• Voicemail that includes the ability to send your voicemail messages to e-mail
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for developing custom call menus
• Sophisticated call routing including Call Forward on Busy or No Answer, Call Parking,
• Call Queuing, Call Retrieval, and Ring Groups providing a variety of ring strategies
• Sophisticated outbound call routing to optimize trunk utilization and minimize cost
• Additional features including Do Not Disturb, Call Recording, Music On Hold and much more ...

The Ultimate Small Business Appliance gives you the tools needed to not only look like a bigger business but to operate as one too. We'd love to have an opportunity to visit with you to see if our solution could play a role in transforming your business. Please give us a call!

I've been frustrated because I couldn't find a picture I took of the mainframe that my team and I put out to pasture in 2003.  It was essentially worth nothing at the time so it found its way to a dairy barn in Iowa.  The person who took it had plans for it, however, those had not materialized.  When preparing for a Gartner panel on mainframe replacement I took this picture.  It looks lonely and forlorn, but I must say I was happy on the day it rolled out of our shop.

Here is a link to a nice summary of changes made to Google Docs and Google Sites in 2009:

http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2010/01/google-docs-and-sites-2009-in-review.html

The automated delivery of these kinds of additions and improvements highlight one of the values of cloud based solutions.  In the case of Google Apps, users benefit from new and improved features without IT having to go through what can often be a costly and time consuming upgrade process. 

Give us a call if you'd like to learn more about how Google Apps could fit into your IT infrastructure.

E-mail and collaboration systems can become a veritable ball and chain for firms as they seek to deal with ever increasing storage volumes and manage through difficult and costly hardware and software upgrades.  If you're looking to break free Google Apps may be just the thing you've been looking for!

Google Apps provides a robust Internet based collaboration environment for your firm.  Google Apps Premier Edition includes:

• Gmail for business - 25 GB storage, Postini spam and virus protection, 99.9% uptime SLA
• Google calendar - shared online calendars including resource calendars
  
• Google docs - shared on-line documents, spreadsheets, and presentations without need for client based software
• Google sites - intranet and team managed websites without the need for custom coding
• Google chat - instant messaging including audio and video
• Google groups - mailing lists with searchable archives
• Goggle video - video archive (think You Tube for your firm)

In addition to having a full feature set Google Apps is a "cloud" based solution.  As such, you no longer have to manage the hardware and software associated with your collaboration systems.

And now for the best part, Google Apps only costs $50/user/year.  Research indicates that typical on-premise e-mail/calendaring solutions cost between $300 and $1,000/user/year while not providing all of the capabilities of Google Apps.

Sound interesting?  If so, request a free demonstration and consultation.