Network Design Blog, Network Installation Blog, Network Support Blog - Infinity Network Solutions Blog

So a while back when the Blackberry Storm first came out on the Verizon network I rushed out and got it and as you can see in my previous post I wasn't exactly thrilled with way it performed.  But I have continued to suffer along with it because I have a rule about using what I buy.  I was just about to give in and move on to something new (The Droid was set to come out) when I saw that the Storm 2 was coming out.  I guess RIM decided that the first one was such a mess that they had to come out with version 2.0 less than 12 months after the first one.  I shared this comment with another Storm 1.0 users who informed me that not only was the Storm 2 coming out but an upgrade for the first Storm was out and it really improved it.  I scoffed at him, because RIM had been putting out new code for the Storm since almost the day it came out trying to make the thing actually work the way it should.  But being a glutton for punishment I downloaded the upgrade and gave it a role.  To my amazement my Storm started acting the way I would have wanted it to out of the box.  The applications launched quickly, the keyboard responded, the screen rotation actually rotated with my movement of the unit.  Now I am not going to tell you that the Storm 1.5 is the best thing out there, but I will tell you it has made me hesitate with regard to moving on to another unknown phone like the Droid.  At least for a few more days.  I will let some other sucker be the first one to try it and let me know what they think this time.  So someone hurry up and try the Droid out and tell me if I can ditch the Storm for something more perfect.

So for the past 7 days I have been running Windows 7 on my office PC and I can say it has gone great.  I decided that I needed to reload my system due to a number of applications not running right and thought that I would go ahead and see what Windows 7 was going to be all about.  So far I am impressed.  The installation felt like it took less time then Vista and I know it took less effort to get installed (not as many questions).  Once installed I found a number of user changes I had to get used to.  Most notably the fact that the control panel no longer has the option (That I can find) to run it in classic view.  This made me getting the system attached to my domain a little more cumbersome, but I was able to get it done.   When I began putting my applications back on the system there were a number of the Windows "Are you sure" prompts, but there were fewer than Vista.  I was able to get everything back up and running within a few hours.  After a week of using it I can say that it runs faster and more stable than my Vista install ever did.  I had a friend show me this link to a page on Microsoft's site that has short new feature videos to watch.  The "snap" feature is probably one of the coolest I have seen.  The "shake" video is a close second.  So if you have been living with Vista and want a better experience go ahead and upgrade to Windows 7.   If you are on XP then you have decide if you want to do a full reload like I did.  Just remember to backup your files first.  If you are going to purchase a new system, be sure to get it with Windows 7, you won't regret it.

Before we get into how to pick a technology partner let me ask another question; have you ever thought about what your staff really does when your some or all of your IT systems are down?  I know you say they do all of the "other" things that they never get to do.  Yeah right.  I wonder if it really looks more like this: What Happens When the Network is Down .  I hope not, but with many businesses both large and small when you IT systems goes down it costs you large sums of money per minute because the work you are expecting to get done isn’t happening.  So picking the right technology partner is critical to your success.

So what does it take to ensure that you pick a technology partner that can deliver what you need when you need it?  Recently Wendy Bahr talked about the value of picking the right technology partner on one of Cisco video BLOGs.  I think picking a partner is less about the certifications and tech know-how.  You expect a technology partner to be experts in the products they sell and service they offer.  You also expect good customer service.  If a technology company does have the know-how or doesn't treat you right you will leave them and they probably won't be in business very long.  So when picking a technology partner what is it you should be looking for?  I think it is about the understanding of and care for what your business does and what makes your business unique.  It is about how the technology will enable you to grow and/or improve.  When you are talking with someone and are considering a new technology partner you should be the one talking more than they are.  They should be asking questions about how your business runs, what your goals are and what is stopping you from reaching them.  Only once someone understands those things can they really begin to see how what they sell and do can offer you real benefit.  And it doesn't stop there, a true technology partner should be communicating with you about your business and where it is going on a regular basis.  Not every call or visit should be able selling something to you.  Good partners will spend their time to stay up to date on your industry and your business and want to provide research when they can.  So next time a technology company comes calling and starts talking about their latest product and its wonderful features and not talking about your business stop them and ask them to talk about how it will improve your business.  Don't let them get off talking about industry averages and generic RIO calculations, make them talk specifically to you and your operation.  If they can't then you know you don't have the right partner.

Have you ever had your time wasted by someone selling you a product instead of delivering you a business value?  Let me know about it.

This last week I saw a link to a PDF in the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce newsletter on preparedness for the Flu Season from the SBA (link below).  While this article was aimed at small business any organization can get items to take action on from it.  While I won’t argue whether the H1N1 flu is worse than the normal flu, I can tell you that I am seeing more of my employees either working sick or calling in due to illness than I have in the past 9 years I have been in business.  I can also tell you that with the talk last school year of having to close schools and daycares due to outbreaks every organization has to consider what they will do in the event of an outbreak that impacts them.  You can be impacted by either staff illness that requires them to not be at work or illness of family that requires employees to not be at work to provide care.  Taking the time to consider what your plan will be and putting it in writing may seem like an exercise that you can’t afford, but can you afford not to have a plan and have to wing it during an emergency.  An emergency plan that is in writing and distributed to the management and staff of an organization can help ensure that your organization can continue to function in the event of any major business interruption.  As a technologist, I think one of the biggest parts of your plan should be consideration for remote access tools so that those employees that would normally come to work and “play hurt” can still do so without having to come to the office and potentially cause others to get sick.  If you already have remote access in place then you should be testing it now so that you know how it will work during an event and if you don’t you should consider implementation now.  Also now is a good time to talk with your staff about their sick leave/PTO and how properly managing it will ensure that both the company and themselves will be covered if they have to be out.  You might also want to consider talking with your major suppliers, vendors and partners to see what their plans are since their action plan or lack of one can greatly impact how your organization will function.  I am reviewing our plan, making updates and testing our systems right now, shouldn’t you be also?

http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/sba_h1n1.pdf
(The article also has a page for steps individuals can take to stay healthy and what to do if they get sick.)

I am always open to sharing what we are doing and would love to hear how you have planned and prepared for business interruptions.  So please post comments and/or email me with your thoughts.

rbetzel@infinitynetworks.net

I am very happy to announce that we have been ranked No. 1479 on the Inc. 5000 list for 2009!

The 2009 Inc. 5000 serves as a unique report card on the U.S. economy. Despite the ongoing recession, aggregate revenue among the companies on the list actually increased to $214 billion, up $29 billion from last year, with a median three-year growth rate of 126 percent. The Inc. 5000 are responsible for creating more than 1 million jobs since their founding, making the list perhaps the best example of the impact private, fast-growing companies can have on the economy.

Read the press release to see what Rob had to say about this honor.

I should also mention that we were one of only 4 middle Georgia companies to make the list. A big congratulations to Birch Communications, ShuBee Inc, and The Wire Shop!

See the full list at inc.com