Quality
Technology Solutions, Inc.
QTS
QuikNews � February 2002 � Issue 2002.2
February 13, 2002
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Welcome
to the February edition of QTS QuikNews, our Monthly E-Mail newsletter.
In this monthly e-mail, you will receive an update of what's new at
QTS - new products we support, new patches and upgrades, solution ideas
and promotions to save you money, and information about our company and
our clients.
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IN
THIS ISSUE
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1.
QTS News
2.
Events
5.
Partner Spotlight:
Wertheim, Inc.
6.
Special Offers
& Featured Solutions
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QTS�
TUOHY LAUNCHES 2E TECHNOLOGY GROUP
QTS�
part-owner Martin Tuohy launched his own venture, the 2E Technology Group,
in January. The 2E Technology
Group provides IT strategy and consulting services to small and
medium-sized law firms and businesses, with a focus on helping customers
choose the right solutions and implement them in a cost-effective manner.
QTS looks forward to working with Marty in the future, and we wish
him the best of luck with his new venture.
Marty will retain his ownership interest in QTS and remains on our
Board of Directors. He can be
reached at (973)762-8234 or via email at marty@2eTechGroup.com.
QTS
PRESIDENT ROSENBERG ACHIEVES PRESTIGIOUS CISSP CERTIFICATION
QTS�
Neil Rosenberg achieved certification as a Certified Information Systems
Security Professional (�CISSP�) on January 26th from the
International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium
(�ISC2�). The CISSP
certification is one of the most prestigious certifications in the
industry, and is based on a comprehensive test covering ISC2�s Ten
Domains of Security as well as requisite industry experience and
references.
EVENT
REMINDER: EFFECTIVE eCOMMERCE STRATEGIES EXECUTIVE BRIEFING
Join
us for lunch on Tuesday, February 19th at an Executive Briefing with David
Roth of Stratis Group as we
discuss Effective eCommerce Strategies and Best Practices.
This event is targeted at the CEO/CFO/CIO level and will focus on
how your business can leverage eCommerce technologies and solutions to
make a difference, and look at case studies for examples of how to do it
right (and what not to do!). This
is the first event in the new QTS-Microsoft Executive Briefing series, and
we welcome your attendance and participation.
The event is from 12:30-1:30 on the 19th, at QTS.
You can register for the event at www.QTSnet.com/briefings,
and pre-registration is required.
NOVELL
PRODUCT SUPPORT LIFECYCLE:
Manufacturer
support for software offerings typically runs a 3 year lifecycle from
initial product release these days � sometimes sooner, sometimes later,
depending on the frequency of interim updates.
The following Novell products are coming up on their end-of-life
date,
2/28/02
� Novell NetWare 3.2
3/21/02 � Novell NDS Corporate Edition
3/31/02 � Novell NetWare 5.0
5/1/02 � Novell BorderManager 3.5
8/1/02 � Novell GroupWise 5.5
See
http://support.novell.com/lifecycle/forecast.html
for more information.
Novell�s
currently supported client versions are 3.3x for Windows 9x and 4.8x for
Windows NT/2000/XP. Novell�s
3.21 and 4.71 clients are slated for end-of-life on 7/1/02.
We suggest client upgrades be performed before that date, after
testing compatibility of key applications.
This is necessary anyway for implementing ZENworks for Desktops and
other client-centric management tools.
If you need assistance with applications compatibility, optimal
client settings and building new baseline images, contact your QTS Account
Manager.
Note
that on December 31st, 2001, Novell IntranetWare/NetWare 4.11
reached end-of-life and is no longer supported by Novell. Please contact your QTS Account Manager if you need
assistance migrating from one of the above-noted platforms to a current,
supported product.
+++
FROM THE WEB +++
QTS
ANNOUNCES QUIKSECURE LIFECYCLE SERVICES FOR NETWORK SECURITY
2/11/2002: QTS today announced its QuikSecure
service offering, specifically tailored for mid-market businesses.
QuikSecure is a five stage process to implement a comprehensive
network security system.
Read
more at http://www.QTSnet.com/stayinformed/l3_stay_pr26.htm
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SEMINARS
These
events will present key technology topics, with the intended audience
being IT Director or business managers (including CEO/CFO), and the topics
will be covered at a high to medium level of detail, with a focus on
education and on technologies to implement business solutions.
* February
27th (NJ) and March 6th (NY): Secure Remote Access
(with Cisco, Citrix and RSA Security) � Educational event focusing on
how to combine VPN technology (Cisco), Strong Authentication (RSA) and
Thin Client (Citrix) into an integrated, best-of-class remote access
solution.
* April 4th and 11th: 21st Century
Manufacturing Solutions � Microsoft, QTS, Stratis Group, DMS Technology
Solutions and CALC will present an integrated approach to automating
Manufacturing organizations, with a focus on business enablement and
return on investment. The
seminars will be held at CALC�s Edison and Parsippany locations.
* April 10th: Microsoft MS Connect Series � Windows XP and
Office XP � rerun of our well-received December and February events,
with technical presentations on Windows XP and Office XP, as well as
presentations on Windows implementation best practices and software asset
management. The seminar will
be held at Microsoft�s Berkeley Heights office.
LUNCHTIME
TECHNOLOGY BRIEFINGS (formerly �customer roundtables�)
These
events will present key technology topics from a technical perspective,
with the intended audience being IT Director or senior staff, and the
topics will be covered at that level, with a focus on features and
benefits.
* February
26th: Intrusion Detection (presented by Symantec)
* March 12th: ZENworks and Desktop Management
* March 26th: Wireless Local Area Networking (with Cisco
Systems)
LUNCHTIME
EXECUTIVE BRIEFINGS
These
events, co-sponsored by Microsoft, will present key technology topics with
a focus on the perspective of business decision makers.
As such, the intended audience is CEO/CFO/CIO level staff, and the
topics will be covered at that level.
* February
19th: Effective eCommerce Strategies (presented by David Roth,
Stratis Group)
* March 19th: Best Practices in Customer Relationship
Management (presented by DMS Technology Solutions)
* April 16th: Security Policy Development (presented by Neil
Rosenberg, QTS)
LUNCHTIME
LEGAL BRIEFINGS
These
events, co-sponsored by Microsoft, focus on law firm solutions from the
perspective of the law firm IT Director or the partner responsible for
technology. The events will
focus specifically on how law firms can use these technologies, and the
issues involved in successful implementation.
*
March 5th: Trends in Document Management (presented by Wertheim,
Inc.)
* April 2nd: Secure Messaging & Client Communications
(presented by QTS)
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Call
the Customer Support Center to have us apply QTS-standard patches and keep
your systems current. The
following patches have been recently released and are recommended by QTS:
*
Microsoft Security Rollup for Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 or Windows NT
Service Pack 6
* Microsoft Security Fix for Exchange 2000 Server System Attendant
Vulnerability in MS02-003 (if Telnet Server is running)
* Microsoft Security Fix for Windows 2000 Telnet Server Vulnerability in
MS02-004 (if Telnet Server is running)
* Novell BorderManager 3.6
Support Pack 1a (for NetWare 6 compatibility only)
* Time Matters 4.0 Service Pack
2
QTS
has tested and supports the Novell Client for Windows XP.
CA
InoculateIT 4.x signature files are currently at version 32.47 (2/7/2002)
and McAfee VirusScan/NetShield is at version 4185 (2/6/2002), and Norton
Antivirus Corporate Edition is at version 40207ai (2/7/2002). Please keep your antivirus signatures current!
If you do not have your system set up to automatically distribute
updates from your server to your PCs, please call your QTS Account Manager
or the Customer Support Center.
Some
patches can cause problems, especially in combination with other software
programs or patch levels. Please
talk to us to verify whether we see any possible problems in your
environment before patching your systems independently.
We make best efforts to test patch combinations but cannot
guarantee compatibility between software and hardware manufacturers�
products.
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One
of the most significant trends I have seen in the industry over the last
few years is the explosion of disk storage and the need for additional
capacity. Industry statistics are staggering � I have seen reports
that say that on the typical LAN, usage of disk capacity is projected to
double every six months over the next few years.
That means that a LAN that currently uses 10GB of storage will grow
in a three year period to 640GB of used capacity � and a network with
100GB currently in use will grow in that same period to 6.4TB!
Although I do not believe that this growth factor is realistic for
most mid-market and small businesses based on my experience, I do think it
is not completely far from the truth.
In my experience, doubling every 12 months might be more on the
mark, but it depends on the network, and either way, there is an explosive
growth in the need for disk capacity.
This
is occurring at the same time as the need for increased system reliability
and fault tolerance. Businesses
are realizing the importance of system up-time, and how their information
systems can either support attainment of business goals, or cripple their
business. Sometimes this has
been learned from painful direct experience, other times by watching or
hearing about others. We
have been promoting this for some time, and our work in the legal
community has fostered a strong emphasis on system up-time.
It is the foundation on which our Worry-Free Networking solution
approach is based.
This
focus on system up-time takes many forms, as the chain is only as strong
as its weakest link. However,
we have seen increased interest in server clustering in the last year. Clustering, for those not familiar with this technology,
allows two or more servers to work as a team and make their resources
available to the network as a �shared identity.�
Instead of having Server1 making Database1 and Server2 making
Database2 available on the network, in a clustered approach users access
the databases through Cluster1. If
either Server1 or Server2 goes down, the other continues to make both
databases available. This can
be done for databases such as SQL Server, mail systems such as Exchange or
GroupWise, and file systems. Microsoft
has implemented this technology in Windows 2000 Advanced Server (although
it was previously available in Windows NT Enterprise Edition) and Novell
has put a two-server cluster �in the box� in NetWare 6.
The technology isn�t exactly mass-market yet, but it is stable
and off the bleeding edge.
Back
to the storage explosion. There
are three possible standard solutions (although, of course, there are
always more possibilities). First
is the most obvious � just add more disk storage to your existing
servers � either plug disk drives into open bays, or add an external
storage cabinet if your server is full, or use a product like ServerMagic
to migrate your server to a new box full of higher capacity disk drives.
This can be expensive and time consuming to do � these projects
often involve a weekend of down-time and can be quite expensive
services-wise.
The
second possibility is to add storage outside the server � this is called
Network Attached Storage, or �NAS.�
There are a wide range of NAS devices on the market today, ranging
from the standard appliances like Quantum�s SnapServer to Compaq�s
higher-end TaskSmart devices to Novell�s new NetDevice NAS software
(hardware-independent solution). These
approaches promote simplicity of setup and operation, and can be useful in
some cases. But they can be like a band-aid, and not be a permanent
solution if not used properly. Adding
a 20GB NAS to a network where storage needs are growing under the bell
curve I described above means you�ll have 5, 10 or more NAS devices to
manage in two years � it takes your server storage problem and
multiplies it, causing more and more IT staff time to be consumed in
storage management. Furthermore, NAS devices can significantly increase network
traffic when the network infrastructure is not designed properly to
accommodate them, and can significantly complicate planning and management
of backups. The inexpensive
solution in the short-term can be quite expensive in the long-term.
However, these devices do have their place.
The
third solution is a SAN, or Storage Area Network.
In a SAN, your disk storage is centralized across multiple servers
into one large disk pool, that can be highly redundant with multiple
levels of RAID. Servers
attach through a shared SCSI (dual-server cabinet such as Compaq�s
ProLiant CL380 bundle) or FibreChannel connection, and access data on the
shared drives. These solutions are expensive in initial cost (due to the
cabinet, the FibreChannel connections/switch and the management software)
but allow for easy capacity expansion in growth.
The effective starting point for considering a SAN is generally for
organizations that will need hundreds of gigabytes of storage, or more.
Well, when one considers the statistics from the introduction
above, that could be any mid-size business today (10GB growing to 640GB in
three years). Backup can be
centralized onto the SAN, providing performance and backup window
advantages, and storage management becomes easy.
The
synergy here is that SANs not only provide scaleable capacity, but they
are the foundation of clustering � for multiple servers to operate in a
cluster, the data they are making available must be physically connected
to both (or all) servers in the cluster.
SANs are the underlying technology that enables this.
Whether a mid-size business is looking for the capacity growth that
SANs can provide, the reliability that clustering can provide, or both,
these solutions are inter-related. IT
and business executives need to look at this technology area to see if it
is a fit for their businesses based on current and future projected needs.
As
always, feel free to email me your comments or thoughts at nrosenberg@QTSnet.com.
Thank you.
Neil
Rosenberg
President & CEO
Quality Technology Solutions
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PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: WERTHEIM, INC.
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This month
QTS is spotlighting its partner for document management, document imaging
and document assembly solutions, Wertheim Inc.
Wertheim Inc. is a premier provider of document management systems
(DMS) and office automation solutions, and one of the top business
partners in the region for both Hummingbird and iManage.
The company assists clients in all areas of document management,
document imaging, document assembly and knowledge management (from a
document-centric perspective), from initial planning through final
implementation, and also provides preventive maintenance and audit
services.
The entire
staff at Wertheim Inc. has perfected a style of interaction which gains
accolades up and down the firm's client list.
Put most simply, clients like them. Their roster of successful
engagements includes clients new to document management, as well as firms
who needed to upgrade to the newest versions of existing document and
knowledge management technologies. Their
approach to customers and technology is very similar to QTS�.
Wertheim's
commitment to document and knowledge management led to the creation of a
strong line of software products. These
software tools work with your document management system to facilitate the
synchronization of key document data across multi-library environments;
simplify the process of granting security to users; and provide an array
of DMS administrative utilities. These
tools were written to help manage and administer DOCS Open and iManage
environments more easily.
Wertheim is
a leading regional service provider, and clients benefit from their depth
of experience with the product offerings of Hummingbird (DOCS Open/CyberDOCS/PowerDOCS),
iManage, SoftWise (macros), as well as document assembly systems such as
HotDocs. While QTS continues
to build, enhance and support networks, this partnership will
significantly extend our capabilities and the total range of services that
we can offer clients. For
more information on Wertheim Inc., please view their web site at www.wertheiminc.com,
email them at info@wertheiminc.com,
or call 212-413-8600. Or,
contact your QTS Account Manager.
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SPECIAL OFFERS & FEATURED SOLUTIONS
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MICROSOFT
OPERATIONS MANAGER 2000 PROMOTION
Microsoft
Operations Manager is Microsoft�s tool for managing Windows 2000 and
.NET servers and services, and can be extended with add-ons from NetIQ to
provide a complete SNMP network management solution.
Under a promotion running through April 30, 2002, MOM Base
Processor Licenses and Application Management Pack Processor Licenses are
available for $349 each, compared to a normal price of $849 and $949
respectively.
CHECK
POINT FIREWALL-1/VPN-1 COMPETITIVE UPGRADE
Check
Point Software is offering a 50% discount to customers with Network
Associates Gauntlet or Cisco PIX/Altiga products where the product is
traded in for a comparably priced purchase of Firewall-1 or VPN-1.
Contact your QTS Account Manager for more information.
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�2002 Quality Technology Solutions, Inc.
This site last updated 08/31/07
� 1999 Quality Technology Solutions, Inc.
76 South Orange Avenue Suite 302, South Orange, New Jersey
07079
telephone: 973.761.5400
fax: 973.761.1881
email: info@qtsnet.com