FAQ - Products

servers - PCs - networks - music servers - data backup - exchange email - anti-virus & anti-spam - internet & adsl - accounting & crm

Servers

what kind of servers do you recommend?

We have a range of standard configurations covering most needs, from100-user Exchange hosting on Dell PowerEdges to file sharing in a smalloffice on a Buffalo Linkstation.

why do I need a server?

You don't. In fact you can probably run your company more cheaplyand more safely on hosted products than by having your own server.

PCs

what software do your PCs come with?

We configure our PCs with a minimum set of essential software, sothat they have what you need but aren't not slowed down by theunnecessary product placements that most manufacturers add. We includeAdobe Acrobat, Internet Explorer plugins, and the latest securityupdates.

why are computers unreliable?

Personal computers are designed to cope with a huge variety ofdemands, making them far too complex to test in every situation. Theyare built down to a price and then operated by people without anytraining - who are surprised when they work only 99% of the time.

Networks

is a wireless office network as good as a wired one?

No. We always recommend a wired local network where possible. Ourfocus is always on reliability and wireless ("wifi") networks areinherently more complex than physical wires. There are more things thatcan go wrong, from radio transmission devices to interference fromnearby microwaves and cordless phones.

Music servers

how many Squeezeboxes can I run from one server?

A normal PC can play music through 20-30 Squeezeboxes at once, sothe limit is more likely to be your network connection to them.

how far away can the Squeezebox be from the SlimServer?

We have a retail customer streaming music from a server in London toshops in Los Angeles and the Far East. There really is no limit.

can I listen to my home music from work?

Yes, the SlimServer allows access from any internet browser and canstream music direct to a computer, as well as to a Squeezebox. Don'tforget your headphones.

Data backup

is data backup the same as disaster recovery?

No, data backup is one part of a disaster recovery plan. You alsoneed to consider how your staff will communicate with each other aftera disaster, where they will set up a temporary office and how to payfor supplies - before you even think about restoring your data from abackup.

Alternatively, with hosted products you can send everyone down tothe nearest web cafe and run your company from there. The coffee may bebetter too.

can I use tape backup?

No, we don't support and don't recommend tape. It's difficult to useproperly and highly unreliable even then. Online backup is far superior.

i have large quantities of video data - how should I back it up?

If you can't afford to backup your data online, you may be advisedto use external hard disks to make offsite copies. We will work closelywith you to find a solution that's reliable and cost-effective.

Exchange email

why is hosted Exchange better than a local Exchange server?

Hosted Exchange, where the server is hosted in a large professionaldata centre, is more reliable and better protected against disaster.If, however, you keep a lot of large attachments in your email folders,the Hosted storage costs can be significant and a local server may becheaper.

can I pick up my email on my Blackberry?

Yes - if you have Hosted Exchange and the enterprise version of theBlackberry. If you have the "POP3" consumer version of the Blackberryyou can still pick up your email, but it is less reliable and won'tsynchronise with your desktop mail. If you ran a local Exchange server,you would need to spend several thousand pounds on upgrading it workwith Blackberries.

Anti-virus & anti-spam

what are viruses, trojans and worms?

Viruses - infect programs and documents and then spread to other files when they are opened or modified.

Trojan horses - pretend to be benign programs but do somethingunexpected and usually malicious i.e. steal passwords, delete data, oropen a "backdoor" for unauthorised users to secretly gain access to acomputer.

Worms - spread themselves to other computers, over a network or viathe Internet, or by stealing email address and then propagating viaemail.

Internet connections

how fast a broadband line do I need for your services?

It depends on how many people in your office, how much data you needto back up, and several other factors. Typically, a 2-3 person officecan use a 500k ADSL while a 10 person office needs at least a 1mb line.Even larger offices usually need the faster upload speeds of bondedADSL or SDSL.

Accounting & crm

is NetSuite a good replacement for Sage?

Yes. It will handle your accounts and produce more reports andanalysis that you're ever likely to want. It will also replace yourcontact management application, run your web shop, take credit cardpayments and much more. We like it so much, we run our whole businesswith it.