Episode 33 – Macgyvertech

This week we are going to talk to an IT Service Provider who does it all. We’ll find out how he manages both the business and tech sides of his company and ask him what it means to be a real Macgyvertech.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:19
Billboard 2:24

News and Comment segment 5:36
AMD announced that it would accelerate its roadmap with an early release of its six-core Opteron processor this June and plans to ship a 16-core processor in 2011.

Sponsor: Try GotoAssist Express free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.GotoAssist.com/techpodcast.

A new podcast called Macgyvertech launches May 2009 at http://www.macgyvertech.com. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

If you think Windows 7 will finally lure users away from XP and redeem Microsoft for Windows Vista, think again, says a new study by Kace Networks. http://www.kace.com/pdf/analyst-report/Windows-7-Adoption-Survey.pdf .

Commercial Break 1:00
Get Great Web Hosting at GoDaddy.com and save 10%! Listen for the discount code in the show. GoDaddy.com 1:00

Intro to Interview 1:51
This week we’re going to talk to Parrish Reinoehl of Pathfinder Networks, learn how he started his business, talk about his experiences as a tech who does it all and find out what it takes to be a real Macgyvertech.

Parrish Reinoehl Interview 13:24

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

©2009 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.

Episode 33 – Macgyvertech

This week we are going to talk to an IT Service Provider who does it all. We'll find out how he manages both the business and tech sides of his company and ask him what it means to be a real Macgyvertech.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:19
Billboard 2:24

News and Comment segment 5:36
AMD announced that it would accelerate its roadmap with an early release of its six-core Opteron processor this June and plans to ship a 16-core processor in 2011.

Sponsor: Try GotoAssist Express free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.GotoAssist.com/techpodcast.

A new podcast called Macgyvertech launches May 2009 at http://www.macgyvertech.com. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

If you think Windows 7 will finally lure users away from XP and redeem Microsoft for Windows Vista, think again, says a new study by Kace Networks. http://www.kace.com/pdf/analyst-report/Windows-7-Adoption-Survey.pdf .

Commercial Break 1:00
Get Great Web Hosting at GoDaddy.com and save 10%! Listen for the discount code in the show. GoDaddy.com 1:00

Intro to Interview 1:51
This week we're going to talk to Parrish Reinoehl of Pathfinder Networks, learn how he started his business, talk about his experiences as a tech who does it all and find out what it takes to be a real Macgyvertech.

Parrish Reinoehl Interview 13:24

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

©2009 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.

 

http://media.techpodcasts.com/theforcefield/media.libsyn.com/media/theforcefield/The_Force_Field_33.mp3  

Yes Or Yes Enterprises Release Used Mobile Phone Comparison Site

There has been a recent growth in used mobile phone recyclers online. Yes Or Yes Enterprises Ltd have developed a comparison site to review these sites all under one roof.

Maidstone, Kent (PRWEB) May 4, 2009 — Yes Or Yes Enterprises Ltd announces the release of their used mobile phone comparison site, showing a number of different prices for the sale of mobile phones. The site can be found at http://www.mobilephonesell.co.uk.

As the credit crunch takes hold, the economy appears to be failing. This means that many more people are looking for ways to increase the money in their pockets. This is probably one of the reasons for the increase in used mobile phone recycle sites such as Mazumamobile and Envirofone now being more widely advertised.

One of the directors Andy Palmer said "Consumers need to get the best deal in the current economic climate. This is the same for people selling their used mobile phone. The site will help people get the best price available from the leading phone recycle companies, with the least amount of effort and searching."

Having developed the system from scratch, the final outcome was created with the user journey in mind. This resulted in making the site simple to operate for anyone wanting to get the best price for their old or used mobile phones. With an easy to use interface and graphical confirmation, it is hoped all clients will have an enjoyable experience in finding the best price for their used mobile phone.

"We are aware that the market is changing all the time," said Andy Palmer "However, we hope to keep ahead of new developments and welcome any feedback to improve the customer journey."

http://www.mobilephonesell.co.uk is available now for consumers to check the leading used mobile phone purchasers for the best price available.

About Yes Or Yes Enterprises Ltd:
Yes Or Yes Enterprises Ltd are an internet marketing and product development company. Although fairly young into the market, they have many new ideas in development.

Contact:
Andy Palmer, director of Public Relations
www.yesoryesenterprises.com

Endeavor Telecom Announces Rapid Installation Service

Endeavor Telecom Announces Rapid Installation Service for Customers in Need of High Volume, Short Lead Time Deployments.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 4, 2009 — Endeavor Telecom, The Telecom Truck Roll Company for carriers, service providers, VARs, and equipment manufacturers, today announced its rapid installation service through which customers can leverage Endeavor's field services, logistics, and operations support offerings to perform swift high volume deployments for customers whose end-users have a need for a large rapid deployment or to quickly transition from one service to another.

Through this premium service, qualified customers have the capability of delivering rapid response deployments to high volume end-users (EUs) who may experience an urgent need to change over to a new service or quickly deploy a new technology by utilizing Endeavor's suite of outsourced professional services.

Endeavor's service portfolio of third party logistics, field service, and operations support can be engaged in whole or in part to deploy hundreds of sites in a matter of a couple of days. In a typical rapid deployment situation, Endeavor's logistics team will receive bulk shipments of customer premise equipment (CPE), stage and configure the CPE, and ship directly to the EU in less than 24 hours. The Service Provisioning team swiftly schedules and dispatches the technician resources necessary in a shortened timeline based on the required project completion cut-off date. Finally, Endeavor's Service Delivery team can perform enhanced acceptance testing to validate the success of each install so that limited customer or end-user resources do not restrict capacity. All this can be coordinated to install or service thousands of critical sites in less than a week's time.

The rapid installation service is particularly well-suited for wireless access deployments or where new wireline connectivity is not required as there is no delay associated with circuit delivery. For projects where the end-user is converting to fixed wireless the turnaround is even faster, as routers can be received, staged, configured, and shipped as well having a dispatch scheduled, all within 24 hours. Rapid deployments for wireless connectivity are also beneficial for customers in that they do not have to wait for carriers to drop the loop or can quickly transition service from a competitor without fighting over facilities or threats of disruption. Instead they can start billing end-users as soon as the installation is completed and eliminate one obstacle to the sell.

"Being able to deploy a brand new network or multi-site solution from zero to several hundred per day virtually overnight creates an enormous competitive advantage for our customers – there is something indisputably compelling in being able to sit across from the table of an end-user and state 'sign today and we'll have you completely up-and-running by the end of the week,'" said Justin McLain, Endeavor's Chief Executive Officer. "In an industry where competition is fierce, every advantage we can give our customers is a benefit to both them and us. I like being in the business of giving our partners an unfair competitive advantage; it creates the need for companies to partner with Endeavor and helps eliminate the ones that do not."

About Endeavor Telecom
Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Endeavor is The Telecom Truck Roll Company for carriers, service providers, systems integrators, VARs, and equipment manufacturers. Endeavor's private label wholesale professional services include: Field Services, such as inside wiring & equipment installation; Order Fulfillment Logistics – equipment configuration, staging, testing, and shipping; and Tier I & II operations and technical support. Endeavor's field organization consists of more than 9,000 highly trained and certified technicians throughout North America, including all of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean. For additional information, please visit Endeavor Telecom on the web at: http://www.endeavortelecom.com/.

Endeavor Telecom Contact:
pr(at)endeavortelecom.com

Free Webinar: Software Contract Discussions: Getting over the Legal and IT Issues

Learn How to Avoid Legal Headaches Associated with Vendor Audits

(PRWEB) May 4, 2009 — ISSUE:   Shrinking IT budgets, fierce competition and a mature software market have increased the motivation for software publishers and enterprise software companies – such as Adobe, Oracle, Microsoft, or SAP – to conduct software licensing audits leading to substantial fines and negative publicity. Even average, unintentional infringement can have significant legal and financially material implications. Industry experts will discuss proper preparation for vendor audits, software licensing compliance, and vendor contract discussions, to get the best terms and conditions for your business needs.

EXPERTS:   
Scott Rosenberg, CEO & Founder, Miro Consulting, Inc.
Robert Scott, Partner and Managing Director, Scott & Scott LLP

WHEN:   
May 13, 2009
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET (10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT)

WHERE:   
To attend, go to https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/975553026

DETAILS:   
With the speed businesses are transforming today – from change management to merger and acquisitions – combined with the economic climate, the majority of organizations are out of compliance, with organizations like the Business Software Alliance collecting payments between $11 million and $13 million in fines for non-compliance.

Experts in software vendor licensing, compliance and audit from business and technology law firm, Scott & Scott LLP and Oracle & Microsoft consulting firm, Miro Consulting, will discuss:

 

  • How to respond to an audits without disruption to the financial and organizational impact on your business
  • Understanding and interpreting software vendor licensing
  • Holding software contract discussions from a position of strength
  • Pre-emptive actions to resolve any conflicts that may arise during a vendor audit

Miro Consulting (www.miroconsulting.com) has provided advisory services to Oracle and Microsoft clients needing assistance in managing the fundamental changes in their software licensing assets. This highly successful consulting practice has helped 400+ clients throughout North America to optimize their total cost of ownership. A privately held award-winning company based in Fords, New Jersey, Miro has overseen over $1 billion in Oracle and Microsoft transactions.

AMD to release 16 core CPU by 2011

(TheForceField.net) April 27, 2009 – AMD announced last week that it would accelerate its roadmap with an early release of its six-core Opteron processor this June and plans to ship a 16-core processor in 2011.

AMD made the announcement at the "AMD Opteron processor Sixth Anniversary event in Sunnydale, California.

A six-core Opteron processor, code-named "Istanbul", is set for release this June. According to AMD the new processor increases performance by 30% over AMD Opteron quad-core processors currently available.

The company said it plans to release the AMD Opteron 6000  "Magny-Cours" processor in 2010.  The Magny-Cours will be designed for 2P and 4P servers and will have 8 and 12 cores. The "Interlagos" processor is scheduled to debut in 2011 and will feature 12 and 16 cores. The Interlagos will be built on 32nm technology.

"We’re currently working on new processors which we expect will deliver more than 35 times the performance of the original single-core AMD Opteron processor released in 2003,” Patrick Patla, AMD vice president and general manager, Server/Workstation Business, was quoted as saying in a press release. “With our wide range of available power bands and performance capabilities, AMD is delivering full featured, maximum value at every price point today, and plans to continue to do so well into the future.”

AMD reported a Q1 loss of $416 million.

Barcelona Electronic Crime Conference Unites Global IT Security and Electronic Crime Responders

Barcelona Electronic Crime conference will gather IT security, operations, and law enforcement thought-leaders from Europe, United States, Asia and Australia next month to discuss operational priorities in the global confrontation against phishing and all forms of Electronic Crime.

Cambridge, MA (PRWEB) April 27, 2009 — IT security, operations, and public agency electronic crime responders, investigators and counter-electronic crime technologists from across the globe will gather in Barcelona, May 12-14, for the 3rd annual Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) Counter-eCrime Operations Summit (CeCOS III). CeCOS dedicated to uniting the industry and public sector response to the global electronic crime scourge.

 

CeCOS III presents operational priorities in the global confrontation against phishing and all forms of Electronic Crime.
CeCOS III presents operational priorities in the global confrontation against phishing and all forms of Electronic Crime.

"The criminal artisans that have organized on the Internet are growing in technical sophistication and command – and in their capacity to cloak themselves from detection," explained APWG Secretary General Peter Cassidy. "CeCOS III will consider critical next steps in the formation of a unified response to electronic crime that is just as organized as the crimes themselves. In short, imagine a response to electronic crime without frontiers."

CeCOS III will unite IT security, operations, security, and law enforcement thought-leaders from Europe, America, Australia, East Asia and South Asia for to voice operational priorities in the global confrontation against phishing and electronic crime.

CeCOS III will engage questions of operational challenges and the development of common resources for first responders, law enforcement officials, and forensic professionals that protect consumers and enterprises from electronic crime threats every day.

CeCOS III is an open conference for members of the electronic-crime fighting community, hosted by the APWG and underwritten by its sponsors, including La Caixa, Telefonica, S21Sec, GMV, MarkMonitor, EMC's RSA Security division, Ecija, Deloitte, Symantec and TB Security, a mix of industry principals that reflect CeCOS III's truly international character and constituency.

Although sponsorship is principally from industry, the CeCOS programs are considered the most vital events to investigators and managers of electronic crime from across private and public sectors. In Tokyo, last year at CeCOS II, over 250 delegates attended from law enforcement agencies, technology companies, financial services firms, security services firms, government agencies, consumer advocacy groups and research centers around the globe.

APWG's CeCOS III will survey the technical advances of phishing and ecrime groups and, at the same time, benchmark the kinds of technical, operational and policy responses that have proven useful in countering them from the desktop all the way back to the domain name registry.

Among the electronic crime issues probed at CeCOS III:
Analysis of techniques used to hack the Dalai Lama's monks' computers – presented by the technologist that discovered the hacks and traced them back to China
– Analysis and interpretation of the Conficker worm by a technologist from SRI, the California think-tank that reported out on Conficker's new and dangerous capabilities
– Defensive strategies for the enterprise IT manager
– Strategies for protecting consumers from electronic crime
– Emerging technical attacks against desktops
– Global electronic crime field reports from Italy, Spain, the UK, Malaysia and India
– Evolving defense strategies for the Domain Name System

CeCOS III presenters will deliver discussions of counter-electronic crime operational issues such as successful forensic data sharing, criminal domain delisting, crimeware's evolution, a global response architecture for electronic crime events, the coordination of responses to electronic crime through a common data reporting format, plus an intriguing case of a government agency spying on a dissident group's email communications, and more.

Thought leaders, researchers and responders chosen to speak at CeCOS III come from some of the pre-eminent counter-electronic crime companies, research centers, and agencies in the world, including the United States FBI, SRI, ICANN, Japan CERT, Australian Federal Police, China Internet Network Information Center, Telefonica, La Caixa, University of Cambridge, Baylor University, Carnegie Mellon University, and United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

For more detail on the program's content, visit the CeCOS III agenda:
http://www.antiphishing.org/events/2009_opSummit.html

For Conference registration information, see: http://secure.lenos.com/lenos/antiphishing/opSummit09/

Hotel registration is available at: http://www.antiphishing.org/events/2009_opSummit.html#location

TEC’s New VAR Zone Helps Software Resellers Connect with Targeted Prospects

Software resellers can access target opportunities online and on demand via TEC's VAR Zone

Montreal, QC (PRWEB) April 27, 2009 — Technology Evaluation Centers Inc. (TEC), the leading resource for enterprise software selection, has launched a new program designed to provide high quality, targeted opportunities for the channel partner community.

With 845,000 global newsletter subscribers and 12 million page views monthly, TEC (www.technologyevaluation.com) and the TEC VAR Zone provide intermediary resources for bringing technology buyers and solution providers together.

VAR Zone program members can purchase actionable opportunities online at any time, searching based on their target profiles, by geographic location, industry, vendor, application area, or company size.

For those seeking prospects that are further down the sales funnel, highly qualified leads (HQL), involving the confirmation of a software selection project by TEC's call center, are also available via the VAR Zone.

Ongoing support by phone or e-mail is provided to participating solution providers by TEC's VAR Zone customer care team. Their Opportunity Alerts Service distributes preview e-mails containing potential opportunities that fit with member resellers' target profiles, and includes information such as location, company size, industry, application area, job title, and background research on the responder's solution requirements.

VAR Zone program members also benefit from exposure to TEC's audience of software project decision makers through their listing in the VAR Showcase section of the TEC IT Directory.

This low cost of entry pay-per-lead program allows for online payment options, including credit card, PayPal, and electronic transfer.

To find out more, or to gain access to a demo version of the TEC VAR Zone, please contact Barry Winikoff at 1-800-496-1303, ext. 293 or varzone @ tec-centers.com.

About Technology Evaluation Centers (TEC)
Technology Evaluation Centers (TEC) provides impartial insight and expertise by offering resources and services to minimize the costs, risks, and time associated with software selection. Over 3 million technology decision makers visit TEC's Web sites each month, to find information on hundreds of solutions and to access articles, white papers, and podcasts. TEC's decision support system (DSS) and analyst data assist with the evaluation, comparison, and selection of enterprise solutions and services. TEC's offerings include in-depth research, detailed product information, and software selection services for any industry or company size. www.technologyevaluation.com.

Contact:
Lynne Brash
Manager, Software Industry Programs
Technology Evaluation Centers
Tel: (514) 954 – 3665 ext. 254
Fax: (514) 954 – 9739
www.technologyevaluation.com

About the OnForce OSMI article on the front page of The Force Field

I know that there will be a few OnForce providers who will raise their eyebrows over the publishing of the press release for the latest OnForce Market Services Index on the front page of the site today, especially in light of recent events. Yes, it is an OnForce-written press release and, yes, I did somewhat unofficially recuse myself from promoting OnForce. That was not the intention of the post.

While the OSMI is primarily aimed at potential Buyers and not Providers, it does contain a lot of information and statistics about the state of the industry that can benefit IT companies on both sides. It is a good use of their resources and, of course, it’s free.

I generally post the OSMI reports specifically for our own edification regarding industry trends, because, whether we like to admit it or not, OnForce, as do all of us collectively, do help shape and influence the overall marketplace.

The reason I posted this particular Q1 2009 report was primarily to use it as an additional source to compare it to our own data gathered from the four part series of The Force Field podcast we recently concluded on The State of The IT Industry.

The results of the OSMI closely mirror and quantify the data and upbeat outlook from all the guests on the shows. This certainly encouraging.

There is another important reason to check out the OSMI. If you look at trends withing specific areas of the industry that are listed, you will notice a few that seem to be poised for further growth. As you may recall, one of the reoccurring themes of the shows in the series was that of finding such areas in which to diversify in order to survive when times were slow in the areas you service.

If you study the OSMI you may find additional areas to move into that are still largely untapped or are potentially profitable and in which you can expand your businesses.

I know this seems somewhat hypocritical to post press releases for the company but I assure you that it is not my intention to actively promote the company. It is simply to take advantage of something they have that we can use to promote our own businesses. The OSMI is is a marketing piece for them and I understand that. It does, however have some statistical data that can prove to be of value to us all and I, for one, would like to make the most of it while we can.

Study says adoption of Windows 7 will be slow

If you think Windows 7 will finally lure users away from XP and redeem Microsoft for Windows Vista, think again, says a new study.

The study, released this week by Kase Networks, reports that 84% of respondents have no plans to upgrade to Windows 7 in the next year. The new operating system is due out by the end of 2009, however the study says a majority of companies will be slow to adopt or migrate to it, choosing to either move to Macs or Linux or stick with Windows XP. Of those who do plan to move to Windows 7, more than half said they were going to do so “specifically to avoid Window Vista”.

The study polled 1,142 IT professionals and found that while some respondents were receptive to the new operating system, many were reluctant migrate over to it immediately for several reasons. 88% of those who were reluctant listed software compatibility as their primary concern. 42% said economic conditions were also a factor.

The study also indicated that while many still plan to stick with XP for awhile, users were aware that there were other options available and many were considering a move to non-Mircosoft operating systems. Although 99% of respondents were using Microsoft operating systems, 50% considered adopting Apple or Linux based operating systems instead, a 7 percent jump from another study conducted in 2008.

What does this mean for Microsoft? Windows is its mainstay. About 40% of its revenue comes from Windows licensing. After losing a three year battle to sell the masses and the enterprise on Vista, Window 7 could make or break their business in the OS marketplace.

As limited in scope as this study may be, it is indicative of a mindset and a stigma among users about a post-XP Windows world. Windows XP is still popular, but it is nearing its end-of-life and, while still spry, it is showing its age. Eventually it will be time to upgrade to something.  Windows 7 needs to be a hit or Microsoft will have nothing for XP users to upgrade to and they  will inevitably migrate to something else.

The study is available at http://www.kace.com/pdf/analyst-report/Windows-7-Adoption-Survey.pdf