Volume III, Issue 2 - February 2010
Lynnwood, WA

Get a Copy of Windows 7 FREE!

During the month of March, upgrade 5 of your office computers to Windows 7 and get a copy of Windows 7 for a sixth computer FREE. Also, get discounted installation.

Contact us NOW for details.

Send us an email now or
call us at (866) 578-6220

Don't Forget Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday, March 14

This means that, on March 14, 2010, at 2:00 a.m., set your clocks ahead one hour.

Tip: On Saturday evening, set your clocks an hour ahead when you go to bed.

Spring Forward!

"Who Wants To Win A Starbucks Gift Card?"

The Grand Prize Winner of January's Quiz is... drum roll please: Brooke of Eustis. was the first person to correctly answer my quiz...

How many of the Great Lakes are in both the United States and Canada?

1. Two

2. One

3. Three

4. Four

The answer is “d” – Four.

Now…let’s move to this month's question for a $10 Starbucks Card!

Which state has more tornadoes per square mile than any other?

1. Kansas

2. Arkansas

3. Florida

4. Texas

Contact us right now with your answer!

Send us an email now or
call us at (866) 578-6220

The Lighter Side

Presidential Facts in honor of President’s Day

One President Short
Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States, but how is it that only 43 men have occupied the office? Grover Cleveland was elected for two non-consecutive terms and is counted twice, as our 22nd and 24th President..

Foreign Born Presidents
Eight Presidents were born British subjects: Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J. Q. Adams, Jackson, and W. Harrison. An exception to “natural born” status was included in Article 2 of the constitution.

Born In The USA
John Tyler was the first President born after ratification of the constitution (1790).

No College
Nine Presidents never attended college: Washington, Jackson, Van Buren, Taylor, Fillmore, Lincoln, A. Johnson, Cleveland, and Truman.

Religion
The most common religious affiliation among Presidents has been Episcopalian, followed by Presbyterian.

Presidential Age
The oldest President inaugurated was Reagan (age 69); the youngest was Kennedy (age 43). Theodore Roosevelt, however, was the youngest man to become President (42) when he succeeded McKinley, who had been assassinated.

More Presidential Facts

Not Elected
For 2 years the nation was run by a President and a Vice President who were not elected by the people. After Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigned in 1973, President Nixon appointed Gerald Ford as Vice President. Nixon resigned the following year, which left Ford as President, and Ford's appointed Vice President, Nelson Rockefeller, as second in line.

Height
The tallest President was Lincoln at 6'4"; at 5'4", Madison was the shortest.

1849
The year the term "First Lady" was first used.

Single
James Buchanan was the only President never to marry.

Died In Office
Eight Presidents died in office: W. Harrison (after having served only one month), Taylor, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Harding, F. Roosevelt, and Kennedy.

Runner Up
Vice Presidents were originally the presidential candidates receiving the second-largest number of electoral votes. This was the practice until adoption of the 12th amendment (1804).

We Want To Hear From You!

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Is there an article or a feature you would like us to include in this newsletter?

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Send feedback, comments, or suggestions for topics to us now

Got support tickets?

Remember to send those to support@integrit-network.com

By using this address to submit your requests, our system will automatically create a service order from the email request submitted, generate a tracking number, create workflow and alerts for our team, and send you a confirmation that your request has been received and is being taken care of. You will also receive status updates.

This process provides us with additional checkpoints, follow-up and confirmations - allowing us to greatly improve upon the exceptional service you’ve come to expect from IntegrIT Network Solutions, Inc.

Insider Tips To Make Your Business Run Faster, Easier, And More Profitably

Welcome to the IntegrIT Network Solutions "Bits-N-Bytes" newsletter with tips to help you keep your computers and network running. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, manage and opt-out links are provided at the bottom of the newsletter. This will not impact your email alerts. 

We're here, ready to help you fully control and manage your IT systems so that you can focus on growing your business, increasing sales, and meeting your goals. It's easy to reach us!

1. Call us at (425) 787-0193

2. Send us an email

We will contact you within 24 hours. Happy Computing! 

IntegrIT Network Solutions, Inc., Bringing Integrity and IT Together™

Why Spending More On Computer Support Can Actually Save You Money

BusinessDictionary.com defines a hidden cost as “Expense not normally included in the purchase price of an equipment or machine, such as for maintenance, supplies, training, and upgrades” and typical computer service is wracked with them. Lots of these types of expenses can pop-up in the form of unexpected computer problems that lead to major downtime. And, as many businesses know, time is money. If your systems are down, that means you are paying your whole staff for an entire day with little productivity.

That is why many small businesses are switching to a fixed-price model of I.T. services (often called “managed services”) where the focus is on preventing issues from happening, rather than reacting to the problems as they come up. While paying by the hour may seem cheaper on the surface, the cost of being down far out-weighs the potentially higher investment of preventing issues.

To find out if your company is at risk for downtime, get our FREE report:

“What Every Small Business Owner Must Know About Protecting Their Company’s Critical Data And Computer Systems.” 

Download it now at www.integrit-network.com/criticalreport

Safe Computing from IntegrIT Network Solutions, Inc.!

Do You Know The Difference Between A Virus, Worm, Or A Trojan?

A computer virus is a malicious program that attaches itself to another program or file with the intent of spreading or replicating itself. Some viruses cause only mildly annoying effects while others can completely destroy your hardware, software, and files. Almost all viruses are spread by executable files attached to an e-mail. Unless you run or open the program, a virus cannot infect your computer. That is why you should NEVER open a strange-looking e-mail from an unknown source.

Like viruses, worms spread from computer to computer; but unlike a virus, a worm has the ability to take advantage of your computer’s file or information transport feature to spread without human assistance. This is why worms are so dangerous. Left unchecked, a worm could send out thousands of copies of itself from your computer, creating a devastating ripple effect. For example, many worms will access your e-mail address book and send a copy of itself to everyone you have listed. If it is able to install itself on the recipient’s machine, it performs the same broadcast to everyone in their e-mail address book, and so on down the line.

Because of the copying process they initiate, worms use up system memory and network bandwidth causing Web servers, network servers, and individual computers to stop responding. In some cases, like the Blaster Worm disaster, a worm can actually allow malicious users to control your computer remotely.

A Trojan Horse received its name because of the way it tricks users into installing it on their computer. To an unsuspecting user, a Trojan Horse will appear to be useful software or files from a legitimate source. Once activated, the damage can be mildly annoying (like adding silly icons to your desktop) to outright devastating (deleting files and destroying information on your system). In addition to damaging files and destroying information, Trojans are known for creating an entry point that allows outsiders to access your system and possibly even steal confidential, financial, and personal information. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files and do not self-replicate.

How To Protect Yourself From Getting Infected

Since new threats are developed daily, it’s important to stay vigilant about keeping your computer or network’s security current. The most obvious line of defense is up-to-date virus protection that has the ability to scan and clean inbound and outbound e-mail messages. Next, make sure you have the latest security patches and updates installed for your operating system, especially if you are running Microsoft Windows. You should also have a software or hardware firewall installed.

Finally, modify your browsing habits. Do not click on pop up ads, download “cute” screen saver programs or emoticons, and never participate in peer-to-peer network download sites.

Want To Be Absolutely Certain Your Computers Are Safe From Spyware, Malware, and Other Threats?

Request our FREE 27-Point Problem Prevention Audit ($495 Value)!

Our 27-Point Problem Prevention Audit will protect you by revealing any lurking virus, worms or Trojan threats in your network. We’ll also check your backups and give you recommendations for improving the speed and performance of your systems. For more information and to schedule your audit, visit www.integrit-network.com/freeaudit.

For more tips and useful information, follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

Meet our Featured Partner of the Month ~ Trend Micro

Trend Micro™ Worry-Free™ Business Security keeps the newest system safer and gives IT smarter, less-complex protection.

Case Study - Manufacturer Simplifies Security Across All Platforms

Challenge:

Wesgar sets itself apart with a commitment to strategic partnerships, both with customers and with suppliers. They strive to discover and implement the most efficient and cost effective processes possible to enable the delivery of superior sheet metal solutions and services.

“We are a small shop and cost is very important to us,” explained Troy Richman, the one-person IT department for Wesgar’s operations. “Ease of use is another priority, but for security, our top area of concern was spyware. We don’t allow our shop-floor users to access the Internet, but our office personnel have unrestricted access to the web, and spyware infections were an issue in the past when we were using Symantec security solutions.”

Wesgar continually introduces new systems and a lot of its computer equipment is fairly current. As a result, Richman must secure and support multiple versions of Microsoft™ Windows™ and Windows™ Server software including the latest releases. The company has also introduced virtualization, with approximately 50% of its servers currently virtualized. When evaluating security solutions, the IT requirements included support for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Hyper-V servers.

Solution:

To solve the problems with its previous solution, Wesgar switched to Worry-Free Business Security Standard. Powered by Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ infrastructure, the new security solution protects the company’s mission-critical infrastructure from the latest viruses, spyware, malware, and web threats. The next-generation cloud-client infrastructure combines sophisticated reputation technology, feedback loops, and the expertise of TrendLabs researchers to deliver real-time protection from emerging threats while minimizing the impact to performance.

“The Smart Protection Network is a great idea,” said Richman. “Security products are getting bigger, and this type of cloud functionality and having Trend Micro manage part of the security solution is a great idea.”

Since switching to Trend Micro, Wesgar has actively participated in beta testing to obtain early access to new releases. “When we tested out the beta version of the latest release, we had no issues and so we pushed beta straight out to our production systems,” said Richman. “Trend Micro has been a great company to work with. I like being involved in beta testing of their products and this year it gave us the ability to protect our newest Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 systems. We were also able to take advantage of Trend Micro’s support for Hyper-V environments.”

Today, Worry-Free Business Security gives Richman the ability to quickly check status of security across its site, and set up email alerts to flag any issues that require his attention. “The new dashboard, with at-a-glance status, makes it easy for me to work with Worry-Free Business Security,” said Richman. “I like the improvements that Trend Micro has made to the status page. The zero administration was a big selling feature for us. I’ve really been able to deploy it and forget about it. Besides checking status about once a week, I ignore it. It’s just me here in IT, so Worry-Free Business Security has been great.”

Results:

Switching to Trend Micro has resulted in a noticeable drop in web threat-related incidents at Wesgar. Smart Protection Network blocks web threats before they can reach Wesgar systems and its network. “Since turning on web reputation in Worry-Free Business Security, I get fewer calls from users with spyware and other web-based security issues,” said Richman. “Our weekly scan reports show that the numbers of infections have dropped by 50%.”

Wesgar’s small operation requires that they continually strive for simplicity. “We are pretty basic in our use of Worry-Free Business Security; what it does, it does very well,” said Richman.

For more information on implementing TrendMicro Worry-Free Business Security solutions at your company, please Send us an email now or  call us at (866) 578-6220.

About Trend Micro:  Trend Micro is a global leader with over two decades of expertise in endpoint, messaging and Web security. With operations globally, Trend Micro is focused on innovating smarter security solutions that protect against a wide range of insidious threats and combined attacks including viruses, spam, phishing, spyware, botnets, and other Web attacks, including data-stealing malware.

Computer Tip of the Month

Storm Season Is Just Around the Corner…Are You Protected?

Even though the first day of Spring is not until the 20th of next month, it’s never too early to prepare for those popup storms that occur randomly at this time of year often resulting in everything from ice damage to lightening fires. During this time of year the threat of fire, flood, severe storms, water damage from office sprinklers, and even theft is very real. One of the most valuable assets for any company is its data. Hardware and software can easily be replaced, but a company’s data cannot!

As a reminder to all of our clients, here are some simple things you should do to make sure your company is ready for any natural disaster.

1. Back Up Your Data Remotely! -- Everyone knows that data should be backed up on a daily basis, but many people still use in-house tape drives that will get damaged in a natural disaster or fire, and can easily be stolen. We recommend backing up all data to an off-site location, and we offer this as a service to our clients.

2. Use a Quality Surge Protector With Uninterruptible Power Supply Battery -- A high quality surge protector combined with an uninterruptible power supply battery backup will go a long way in protecting sensitive electronic equipment from surges and other electronic irregularities that can destroy your computer’s circuitry.

3. Make Sure Your Servers Are Off The Floor -- If your office gets flooded, having your equipment off the floor will prevent it from being completely destroyed. Server racks can be purchased and installed very inexpensively.

4. Have A Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan -- Every business should have some type of plan in place for continued operation after a disaster. Would people know where to go? Who to call? How to log in and access data remotely? Hopefully you’ll never need it, but having a simple plan will make you sleep a lot easier at night knowing you have a way to continue to operate when disaster strikes.

If you need help in any of these areas, contact us! We can not only get you prepared, but also back up and running fast in the event of a disaster.

We’ve made some changes in our office to better serve you. Here’s what’s going on:

	Could you use some extra cash? Do you know other small company owners who could benefit from our services.  Go to our Cash Referral Program page up on our Web site and send submit your referrals for a chance to earn $500 cash!!
	Are you ready to go paperless? Then contact us today to learn more about receiving your bill via electronic mail and paying it via MasterCard or Visa.
	Speaking of going paperless, you now have the option to opt out of the printed version we are currently mailing to your office.  If you would like to "opt out" of the printed version, click HERE.  This will send an email to us with your request.

 How To Make Microsoft Office 2007 Look Like Office 2003

If you are a frustrated Office 2007 user who misses the Office 2003 file menus.... you are in luck!  Here is a simple way to bring classic Office 2003 menus and toolbars to Office 2007 programs.

For seasoned Microsoft Office users who can’t find some of the classic menu items in the Office 2007 ribbon interface, there is a way to restore Office 2007 back to the standard, familiar menus of the previous Office versions.

Using the new Ribbon feature in Office 2007 takes time to learn…time you don't have because projects are stacking up. The solution is a simple little plug-in developed by AddInTools called Classic Menu for Office 2007. After installed, AddInTools allows you to work with Office 2007 as if it were Office 2003 and includes Classic Menus for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook 2007.

The good news is that this program eases the transition from Office 2000/2003 to Office 2007 without all the headaches, frustration, and wasted time. You can still access the new Office menus (Home, Insert, Page Layout, References, Mailings, Review, View, and Acrobat) from the main menu line, but a new tab has been added and labeled “Menus” for access to the previous versions’ commands. So, you’ll have the best of both worlds; the Office 2003 classic menus with the Office 2007 ribbon interface.

Under a new ‘Menu’ tab you get all the traditional pull-down menus plus two long rows of toolbar buttons. On the Menus tab, the menu system from previous versions of Microsoft Office is completely replicated while, at the same time, preserving the native Office 2007 tabs.

Classic Menu for Office 2007 also includes an administrative tool that allows you to decide which tabs will be shown in Office 2007. You could decide, for example, to hide the new Office 2007 tabs and leave just the Menu tab if you want to have an "Office 2003" experience.

Features Include:

• Easy to install and uninstall

• Easy to enable or disable the menus and toolbars

• Easy to quickly find and execute the commands that you need

• Small file size: only 3.5 MB!

• The Menus tab can be shown on the left of Home tab, or shown as the last tab

• Press Alt-Q-Q, to use the familiar keyboard shortcuts to browse the whole menu

• Add the menus and toolbars to the Quick Access Toolbar and use Office without the ribbon

• Download and install this software in less than a minute, show the menus and toolbars immediately!

And, if you intend to eventually learn the new 2007 menus, you can easily toggle between the new and old interface.

This product is free to try and more than worth the price tag of $29.95. Enjoy.

Learn more about Classic Menu for Office 2007 and download a trial today!