PICS ITech

Networks connect your world securely, reliably and more efficiently.
used with permission from the Cisco Small Business Website

People in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) regularly connect with others who are vital to their success. Customers bring income, the lifeblood of any business. Partners, such as contractors and suppliers, provide services and products for daily operations. Prospects are vital for growth and new opportunities. And employees are the brains, hands, eyes, and ears that make a business successful.

A network can connect them all, according to Deb Mielke, operator of HomeOfficeReports.com, a Web site providing technology advice and information to small and home-based businesses. "Electronic communication is a great way to reach a lot of people," she says. "The beauty of networking and the Internet is that it can make a little guy look like a big guy."

But what is a network? And how can it connect your world securely, reliably, and efficiently?

Cisco commonly refers to the concept of a Secure Network Foundation which encompasses a flexible communications platform that both delivers business information needs and positions a company for growth. Note that "computer" is nowhere in that definition. That's because networks, even in the smallest businesses, can do more than simply connect machines. They also deliver voice (telephone) and video, and connect functions such as sales and bookkeeping to make business more efficient, collaborative, and profitable.

By Craig Kitch

Not long ago, I held a communication workshop for a restaurant chain and asked a pretty young lady to assist me in a demonstration. As she walked to the front of the room, I announced to the group that we had just held a beauty contest and that one of the finalists was with us today. As she turned to face the group, I introduced her as Miss Communication and asked for a nice round of applause. Following the ovation, I indicated that she was obviously pretty and smart and asked why everyone was using her for a scapegoat. “You blame her for everything”, I said. When the customer is not properly served, and complains, we blame it on Miss Communication. When two departments are not working well together and the corporate office wants to know what’s wrong, the answer is often Miss Communication. While this was obviously an oddball demonstration, I got their attention and made my point. Miscommunication has become such a scapegoat that many people accept it as a viable reason for any problem.

by Chris Geise - PC Solutions, Inc.

It's been 20 years since Dr. Stephen Covey published his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today, I will take a look at those habits and see how they apply to IT Managers of 2010 and beyond.

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Steven Covey writes that your life doesn't just happen. Whether you know it or not, it is designed by you. Proactive people recognize that they are responsible for the outcome of their life. By contrast, reactive people are affected by their physical environment, often blaming their circumstance or even the weather for their mood and behavior.

Reactive IT Departments are Easy to Spot Walk into an office and you might immediately see the tell-tale signs of a reactive IT department. It's the users. You can tell that they are concentrating, but it doesn't look like they are getting much work done (long stares at their screen, sighs, not much typing, asking co-workers if they are experiencing the same issue). Much of their finite energy is being applied, not to their work, but in trying to adapt their way of working to suit the constraints of their IT environment. They've taken their issues up to their reactive IT Manager who usually cites all of the system and budget constraints that prevent him/her from fulfilling the users' request.

by Monte Enbysk
used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center

The first thing to know about computer "hackers" is that the term itself is a point of dispute.

Many people who hack into systems without criminal intent proudly label themselves "hackers," and say they're the good guys and the bad guys should be called "crackers" or something else. "Hackers are not evil, malicious people out to damage computer systems and steal passwords. Hackers hate these kind of people," read one e-mail I got after I wrote a column about virus writers.

Others argue that "hackers" represent both good and bad guys - people who explore and "test" systems for a living or a hobby, as well as those who break into systems to embarrass or rip off companies and people. "Just like in the Wizard of Oz, there can be good witches and bad witches. In the world of hacking, it goes the same way," wrote a reader.