By default, the Apple IPhone only ‘syncs’ the last 3 days of emails – this is the default setting
If you are finding your Apple IPhone only ‘syncs’ the last 3 days of your Microsoft Exchange email, you can change the setting on the IPhone.
Go into:- Settings, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Choose Microsoft Exchange
Were you aware that you can use your laptop almost ANYWHERE?
Just by ‘tethering’ your Apple IPhone to your laptop and using the 3G mobile internet connection built into the IPhone, you can surf the internet, use Outlook, check your email, connect to your company’s CRM systems, use the company’s accounts system and generally work remotely as though you were in the office?
The Apple IPhone support a technology called ‘tethering’ and using this technology you can use the internet almost anywhere you have a mobile phone signal. This is ideal for the following mobile computing users:-
Firstly make sure are running the latest version of ITunes and your Apple IPhone is running the latest version of the Apple IOS, if not, update as necessary.
You can operate the ‘tethering’ link either by plugging in your IPhone into the laptop via the supplied Apple USB cable or via a Bluetooth connection if you laptop has one inbuilt.
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On your IPhone go into the Settings menu and then General |
| Choose Network and then select Internet Tethering |  |
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Select Internet Tethering |
| Change the Internet Tethering option from Off (default) to on. |  |
Once the Internet Tethering Option is turned on, a new network connection will appear in the Network Control panel on your Microsoft Windows laptop.
Job done – you should now be able to surf from anywhere!
Century IT Services recommends you check with your mobile phone provider to ensure that ‘Internet Tethering’ is available for your mobile phone tarrif and you understand if there are any additional charges applicable. Make sure Internet Tethering is turned off after use to avoid any unecessary data charges.
Remember – Your Internet connection speed is wholly dependant upon your mobile phone signal. To achieve the best Internet browsing experience, Century IT Services recommends you use Internet Tethering in a mobile 3G enabled area.
Providing Computer Support & Network Support to businesses in Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, Wiltshire, Sussex & Berkshire
How to make an Apple IPhone connect to Microsoft Exchange Server
Make sure the Mail, Contacts and Calendars are set to ON to ensure that your Apple IPhone ‘syncs’ your Mail, Contacts and Calendar from your Microsoft Exchange Server.
Once the connectivty is there between your Apple IPhone and the Microsoft Exchange Server, you should be able to:-
Providing Computer Support & Network Support to businesses in Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, Wiltshire, Sussex & Berkshire
By default, Microsoft Exchange 2003 is preconfigured to limit the size of the Exchange Data file size to 16GB. If you have Microsoft Exchange 2003 SP2 installed you can use the registry to alter the 16GB limit to a larger size, anywhere up to 75GB. You can also add further registry keys that can:-
All of the Registry Changes are made in the following location:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\<SERVER NAME>\Private-013e2e46-2cd7-4a8e-bfec-0e4652b94b00
For More Information, Visit Microsoft Technet at:-
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998066(EXCHG.65).aspx
In this article we will have a look at Microsoft’s newest Operating System and what the differences are than previous Versions, its availability, and what it can do for you.
But first a few words about Windows Vista, well after the success of Windows XP it was always going to be a hard act to follow, and unfortunately for Microsoft Windows Vista did not follow it very well. Microsoft conceded and continued to supply Windows XP to the PC Manufacturers due to high demand for it.
Enter Windows 7, and a very public announcement it was too, with Microsoft freely distributing a late Beta Version, and after that a Release Candidate. This was a marketing plan and a good way of getting Windows 7 to as many people as it could before the launch date, so that the code could be tested, corrected and revised as much as possible before launch. Another criticism of Windows Vista was that it lacked drivers for much of the hardware that users already had purchased, that means that printers, scanners, video cards and the like would not work with Vista out of the box. Microsoft has addressed this problem by providing as many drivers as possible built into Windows 7, in fact more and more have been added from even the ones included in the beta and release candidate versions. The fact that the drivers that were produced by hardware manufacturers for Windows Vista will also work with Windows 7 makes the problem of limited drives a lot less of a problem. Delivering the drivers to the pc has also been enhanced, now Windows Updates provides these drivers in the same way that critical updates and service packs are delivered. The new features are a big step forward a dynamic task bar, windows manipulation, better driver support, Windows XP mode for Business and Ultimate versions. However one of the biggest steps forward is the start up and shutdown times, anyone who has waited for Vista to shutdown will be please to hear this!
If you are intending to install Windows 7 on a laptop the initial indications are that the power saving is more efficient, which means that battery life should be longer. Other features for mobile users include a Location-Aware printing, which makes printing documents far easier if you are moving from office to office. Another technology that is maturing with Windows 7 is the support for 64bit computers. Using a 64 bit Operating system with the appropriate hardware means that Windows can use gigabytes of memory, the limit of the traditional 32bit Windows is 3 – 4 Gb. This means that with 64 bit computing many more programs can be running at the same time than before, and swapping between them will become easier.
Microsoft has made a considerable number of enhancements to the User Interface from Windows Vista. This addressed a few problems regarding windows management; some of the changes are of a more entertaining nature.
Aero Shake
Hold down a window by its top border (or any other part) and shake your mouse to minimize all other windows. Alternative Shortcut: Win + Home.
Aero Peek
Hold your mouse icon over a program icon in the TaskBar to get a preview of the program (if it’s running), then move your mouse and hold it over this icon to bring up the actual window itself. Click to bring this window up permanently or just move the mouse away.
Action Center
This feature is an extension of the old security centre that first appeared in Windows XP in Service Pack 1. It basically informs you of any potential security problems, and system updates that are required. Most of the time it will sit quietly monitoring, but when things need attention it will start alerting.
ISO Burner
As software distribution is now mostly electronic, this has created a need for a in built Windows utility that will create a CD or DVD from an ISO image. Well the ISO burner in Windows 7 is just that very useful when you need it.
Biometric Device Management
Windows 7 provides a basic framework for biometric devices, enabling manufacturers of these devices like fingerprint readers to use this framework to develop their programs. This unified support will mean that these types of devices should be similar in operation.
Credential Manager
This is a useful addition to the Windows 7 Utility Set, it allows you to store all your usernames and passwords in one place, and when you go to use a website or network share the credential manager can login for you. Another useful feature is that your password vault can be backed up and restored should you ever have a problem
Display projection Windows Mobility Centre
If you give lots of presentations, you’ll welcome a new tool in Windows 7 that makes it easy for you to display your Windows 7 portable computer’s desktop on a projector. Just press the Windows logo key + P and you’ll see the pop-up box this will take you through a wizard to get you connected.
Windows Mobility Centre
This is a blend of the Windows Sync Centre and Power settings, giving information on screen brightness, battery capacity, secondary monitors, wireless networking etc. Some of the sections can be adjusted to save power or adjust wireless networks that are connected.
System Repair Disc
The Vista Service Pack 1 betas included a new feature that let you easily create a system repair disc with a friendly graphical interface, but it was removed in the final release of SP1. Windows 7 restores this functionality, and enables a full image backup of the computer. This means that you can have a set of restore DVD’s to return your computer to a previous state.
Better backup utility
Of course, previous versions of Windows included a backup utility, but this tool has been significantly improved in Windows 7. Vista’s backup program was user friendly but not very flexible. Windows 7 gives you more granular control over what you want to back up.
You can invoke the “Backup and Restore” applet from Control Panel or by typing Backup in the Search box on the Start menu. You can back up your files to a local hard disk, a removable disk, a DVD, or another computer on the network. (You may need to provide credentials to access a network location.) Then, you can choose to back up libraries or individual folders.
Task bar / Jump lists
The Jump List feature is designed to provide you with quick access to the documents and tasks associated with applications. You can think of Jump Lists like little application-specific Start menus. Jump Lists can be found on the application icons that appear on the Taskbar when an application is running or on the Start menu in the recently opened programs section. Jump Lists can also be found on the icons of applications that have been specifically pinned to the Taskbar or the Start menu. The task bar has had some changes to it and in many ways is looks like the Apple Mac Dock, but does include some further enhancements. They include larger icons to allow the new features to be seen clearly. One of the new features is the inclusion of a progress bar built in to the programs running on the task bar. So if you are downloading a file in Internet Explorer then the icon will show the progress. Shortcuts can also be “pinned” to the taskbar allowing quick and easy access to them.
Windows 7, like previous versions of Windows Operating Systems come in different versions, for the home, business and extreme users, below is the details of the features that come with each of these versions.
There are 3 main versions that will be offered by Microsoft from launch day the 22nd October 2009 they are Business, Home Premium and Ultimate below is a summary of the components of each of these versions.
Windows 7 – Home Premium
Available worldwide, to OEMs and in retail
Windows 7 – Professional
Available worldwide, to OEMs and in retail
Windows 7 – Ultimate
Limited OEM and retail availability
If you wish to purchase an upgrade version of Windows 7 for your Vista Operating system and you live in the Euro Zone, you are out of luck. Due to legal wrangling with the EU Commission, Microsoft will not offer any upgrade pricing or product. Also they are not shipping Internet Explorer with Windows 7 within the Euro Zone for the same reason. This will affect over half a billion people. This means that people who want to install Windows 7 on an existing system will have to backup their user data and do a clean install, and then restore your data.
Compatibility issues – Microsoft have thought of the users who still have programs that don’t work well with Windows 7. XP Mode is essentially a Windows XP PC inside Windows 7. So when you want to run those old programs you can use this XP machine to do this quickly and easily.
So we originally asked is Windows 7 ready for you? Well the answer is probably yes, in fact when you buy your next new pc or laptop it will be pre-installed on it. However those of you who want Windows 7 on an existing pc may be in for a painful installation. There is no upgrade path you can go down in the UK as mentioned above, so the only way to get Windows 7 on an existing PC is to buy the full version then wipe and install.
“Taking a backup of all your important data first of course.”
If you are still unsure what Windows 7 has to offer or if it is the right time for you, then please give us a call today on 02380 070 101 for a full, confidential and without-obligation discussion of your needs.
Many businesses know that without the ‘Company Data’ there is no business, but many still take the risk and don’t check their backups daily or perform any test data restores.
Businesses that experience data loss soon find themselves with an interruption to their business whilst data recovery methods are explored. The risk is never worth the cost, lost ‘company data’ simply can’t be replaced
What can be done?
Proactive monitoring can help prevent interruption to business by identifying problems before they affect your business, for example flagging alerts for failed backups.
Testing backups on a regular basis can help ensure that data can indeed by restored from supposedly good backups.
Taking secondary backups helps reduce the risk of data loss should a failure occur, there is an old adage that you can’t have too many backups!
Making backups to an Online Data Vault using a fully encrypted Internet connection to a secure location has many advantages :-
20,000 Laptops are lost or stolen every year
Having a secondary system of backups to restore from in the event of a disaster situation gives business owners peace of mind that their business critical data is always safe and available.
How Does Online Data Backup Work?
1) Any online data backup solution assumes you have an internet connection and that you have at least ADSL, DSL or Cable.
2) You normally install some specialist backup software on the machine that hold the data you want to backup
3) You choose what types of data you can backup
4) You schedule the Online Data Backup software to backup at a time which is convienient to you
5) A backup of your selected data is made to the Online Data Backup Provider
What Should I Look for When Choosing an Online Backup Solution?
1) Transferring your data across the Internet is normally not secure, you need to make sure that the Online Data Backup Provider uses secure encryption technologies to secure you data as it travels over the internet to stop unauthorised interception.
2) An important consideration is also where will your data be stored, Online Data Backup providers would normally hold your data in a data centre, it would be in your best interest to find out if your data is being held within a U.K data centre or one in another country.
3) Find out if your data is stored at the data centre in an encrypted format and who else has access to your data.
4) What about in the event of a complete restore being needed? Downloading everything via your Internet connection will be compartively much slower than by your local tape backup. Does your Online Data Backup provider offer a Disaster Recovery Option? Can they deliver your data to you for restore, quickly?
5) Besides being able to back your files and folders, does your Online Data Backup provider provide the software to backup your Exchange email or SQL databases?
Summary
In summary, additional to the local data backups you would normally make as part of your I.T maintenance procedures, having a secondary backup of business critical data using an Online Data Backup provider is a sound choice.
Using an Online Backup Data Vault will help reduce the risk of data loss, it can be especially beneficial in any business continuity plan.
Providing Computer Support & Network Support to businesses in Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, Wiltshire, Sussex & Berkshire
You may find you have intermittent Microsoft ISA Firewall crashes on a Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition that has Symantec Endpoint Protection and Symantec Backup Exec Installed.
When Symantec Backup Exec is backing up, an event is is displayed in the Application Event Viewer (see below) and users lose connectivity to the SBS 2003 server:-
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Microsoft Firewall
Event Category: None
Event ID: 14057
Date: 29/09/2009
Time: 08:32:08
User: N/A
Computer: Server-SBS
Description:
The Firewall service stopped because an application filter module C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcrt.dll generated an exception code C0000005 in address 77BC6F76 when function CompleteAsyncConnect was called. To resolve this error, remove recently installed application filters and restart the service.For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
To resolve this problem you will need to add some exceptions to the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager – Centralized Exceptions Policies.
Add some exceptions to exclude Microsoft ISA Server data directories from being included in the Symantec Endpoint Realtime Scanning.
Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager Console
Symantec Endpoint Protection - Centralized Exceptions
Symantec Endpoint Protection - Exclude ISA Cache Folder
Symantec Endpoint Protection - Add Exception for ISA Log Folder
Most computers or laptops nowadays usually have a selection of USB ports that you can plug external devices into to extend the functionality of your computer system i.e. external hard disks, external tape drives, digital cameras, memory card readers, USB memory sticks etc.
Modern computers and laptops usually come with USB 2.0 ports as standard, whilst older computers only have USB 1.0
As with all technology, advances have been made over the years to improve speed and performance. To maintain backward compatibility, newer types of USB ports come with the same type of connector as the older USB ports, so older USB devices can still connect and operate.
The main difference between USB 1.0 and USB 2.0 is the performance or throughput; the USB 2.0 ports are much faster than the earlier USB 1.0. USB 2.0 has an maximum throughput of around 480 mps (megabits per second) whilst USB 1.0 only has an average throughput of 12 mbps. That makes USB 2.0 as much as 40 times as quick as the older USB 1.0
This means that if it takes around 40 minutes to transfer some files to a USB 1.0 device, using USB 2.0 it could potentially take only 1 minute.
Providing Computer Support & Network Support to businesses in Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, Wiltshire, Sussex & Berkshire.
The traditional method of computer support or network support has always been Reactive, i.e. you notice a problem and then report it to your IT support company.
Proactive Computer Support is the modern way to manage your computer network. A properly monitored, proactive computer network service can help you cut costs by identifying problems or issues before they affect your business for example would you know if :-
Backup Monitoring
Server Disk Health
Disk Space Monitoring
Exchange Store Monitoring
Anti Virus Checks
Performance Monitoring
Web Site Monitoring
Hacker Checks
Another benefit of Proactive Monitoring is the Asset Tracking which can provide you with a monthly list of all computers and servers on your network along with their hardware specifications and serial numbers? Such information can help you identify old or problem machines so you can plan at budget times for upgrades and replacements, after all no one like those unexpected expenses.
Installing the monitoring software client is easy, safe and secure using the latest https encrypted technology to pass critical alerts back to our monitoring system, and you won’t need to degrade your existing firewall security by opening any additional ports or pin holes.
Customers on our Proactive Monitoring service (Century Plus) receive monthly reports which uses our unique traffic light system so you can quickly identify problems or issues that have occured. Monthly reports include:-
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Registered office: Mill House Centre, 108 Commercial Road,
Totton, Southampton, Hampshire SO40 3AE
Tel : 023 8007 0101 | Email : sales@century-it.co.uk