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This is a warning for all of you out there that are too comfortable with your old technology. Personally, I don't blame you in some cases. I love my old Nintendo. However, we are not talking recreational technology in this case. We are talking about the operating systems that are running the backbone of your business, being your Servers and Desktops.

Let me put it in perspective. To some, technology is like an old car. It has 300,000 miles on it, but you just can't bring yourself to put it out to pasture. It has become a part of your family, in a way. It has taken your kids to school safely, driven you through Michigan winters, and every time you put the keys in the ignition, you know what to expect. Nothing more, nothing less.

Well, the same can be said for some users and their Microsoft operating systems. There is some comfort in the fact that, every time you push that power button, you know what to expect. You know where your personal files are, you know where your programs are, and if a problem arises, you may know darn well how to fix it.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid that all good things must come to an end eventually. I am here to inform you that there are no longer any maintenance shops willing to fix your 300,000 security blanket. As of July 13, 2010, Microsoft announced that they would no longer be supporting Windows Vista (RTM), Windows XP (Service Pack 2), Windows Server 2000, or Windows 2000 Professional releases. What does this mean to you? Well, it means that if you call Microsoft for support on any of these software releases, they will say "sorry about your luck".

Now, don't go off on an anti-Microsoft tangent just yet. First off, put yourself in their shoes. It is not beneficial for them as a business to support 10+ year old software, when they have released numerous alternatives. So don't get mad at them.

Second, you still have plenty of options. You can:

• Stay Put- If you must, you can still purchase a customer support agreement from Microsoft for 12 months that will continue to cover your old operating system.
• Upgrade- You can upgrade to Service Pack 2 if you have Microsoft Vista, or Service Pack 3 if you have Windows XP. These versions are still supported.
• Migrate to the Latest Version- Personally, this is the step that I recommend the most. Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Server 2008 R2 are the latest and greatest that Microsoft has to offer. They provide upgrades in functionality, ease of use, and security, as well as being fully supported by the manufacturer.

If you feel stuck on what direction to take, need help to make the change, or just have a few simple questions, give Core3 Solutions a call. Located in Birmingham, Michigan, we are the elite consulting firm in SE Michigan, and we pride ourselves in making your relationship with technology one to be excited about.

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Times are tough in SE Michigan. Actually, times are tough everywhere. It is commonplace for a business to scrounge the couch cushions for extra change, or to tuck away the dough they DO have for a rainy day. I can't say that I wouldn't do the same thing, but not at the cost of neglecting the beating heart of my business. A server ordinarily is responsible for an enormously large percentage of everything that is holy for a business. A company's email, virus protection, and vital company data and documents are to a business as noodles are to spaghetti. In some cases, a server also hosts the company website, or enable users to utilize the organizations bookkeeping or logistics software. As a business owner, you have to ask yourself, "What would happen if these services became inaccessible. Could my business still function?"

Not to worry, yet. As they say, "It's not over until the fat lady sings". In other words, if you server is still running, you still have a chance to prevent an operational meltdown. How do you know it's about time that you gave your server some much needed care? Well, here are a few tell-tale signs to look for, courtesy of Microsoft Business:

1.       Your server is running slower than it should:

If your server is laboring, it may be time for a cleanup, or even an upgrade. Servers running lower than 80% efficiency, should be checked out.

2.       If your server spends more time getting fixed than working properly:

If you have a server that spend more time on the operating table than it does helping your business accomplish day-to-day tasks, than it may be time to invest in a new server all together.

3.       If your server's fan has raised its volume:

If you notice that your server's fan has progressively gotten noisier, it may be time for a new server. It typically means it has to work harder to accomplish the same task it used to do with ease. This comes with age.

4.       Expired Warranty:

If the server's original warranty is expired, it usually means both that your server's age is to a point where you should look towards a replacement, and that if something does happen, its manufacturer will no longer support it.

For more of these "Server Neglect" diagnosing tips, please refer to the following artice from Microsoft Business:

http://www.microsoft.com/business/en-us/resources/technology/networking/reasons-to-upgrade-a-server.aspx#Reasonstoupgradeaserver

So, if you think you may be experiencing any of these issues, make haste. It may be time to give the one you SHOULD love most, your server that is, some well deserved attention. If you aren't sure, give Core3 Solutions a call and we'll take a look.

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Sixteen of the thirty companies that make up the Dow Jones were companies that were started during recessions or depressions.  Some of those companies include Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Procter & Gamble, Alcoa, IBM, McDonald's, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson.  Other great companies include Whole Foods, J. Crew, Costco, or Odwalla (all launched during recessions).  Those that set themselves apart and can either thrive or survive during these tough times.  We believe there is some commonality within both these companies listed here and the companies selected by Crain's.  It's CULTURE.

At Core3 we believe culture grows companies. Our culture is our employees.  At Core3 we feel honored that our employees have nominated us for this award and we feel blessed to have so many talented individuals here committed to helping us achieve our goals.  For those companies who have worked with us, they know we have a passion for people.  Right now we are at a critical point, not only in the history of this country, but also at a critical point in our company's history.  Now, more than ever, we need people who will help us grow in directions that allow us to achieve new heights.  At Core3 we believe in partnerships.  To us that means partnering with our employees to make a great place for them to come to work.  In the same sense it means creating great partnerships with our customers.  Also selected in Crain's top 35 is MiPro Consulting whom we've had the pleasure of working with for the past 5 years.

We're lucky to have the employees we have today and without them we wouldn't have the customers we have today.  Here are some of the small ways we've been able to invest in our employees and pay them back this year for all their hard work.  These are all new benefits in 2009.

• Group Health Care Plan
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• 401k & Roth Retirement Plans
• Employee Development & Leadership Training
• Performance Management Tools
• Employee Home Computer Purchase Plan
• Employee Recognition ("Idea of the Month" & "Blog of the Month")
• Xbox360 in the break-room
• Floating Holiday
• Stocked K-Cup Keurig Gourmet Coffee

We didn't set a goal this year to be a cool place to work, nor did we set out to win any awards.  In all honesty we wish times were better and we wouldn't be accepting a "tough times" award.  I appreciate the blog from Jeff Ventura at MiPro.  He writes, "if you can't acknowledge where you are, it's hard to ascertain where you're going."  At Core3 we acknowledge times are tough and it may not get better soon.  But we will push foward. We continue to challenge ourselves each and every day to embrace these times, engage our employees and embody our values.  We will ask ourselves what can we do personally, TODAY, to take our people and our company to new levels.

Thank you Crain's Detroit and our employees!  It is an honor to be selected for this award, but please checkout the other 34 compaies selected at CrainsDetroit.com, they are a lot cooler than us and we can learn a lot from them.

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At first thought I'm sure many people would say two or even three monitors is overboard.  Or even that the reason they don't do that is because of cost.  I can tell you with full confidence though that two monitors increases productivity and makes money.  I got curious whether I could back this theory up or if there was research done on this.  There are in fact studies that back this theory up.  A study from the University of Utah showed that people who used two 20-inch monitors where 44 percent more productive at certain activities than people using a single 18-inch monitor.

I honestly couldn't imagine myself or anyone at Core3 not having two monitors.  Think about when you are skimming and comparing documents, or researching something online and translating it into a PowerPoint, or checking email and creating a Word documents from a series of correspondences.  Those are just a few examples, but they are all assisted by being able to spread out your work in a logical fashion.  Constantly up-sizing and downsizing programs on a single monitor is not practical to be at top efficiency.

In the past, available space and cost were constraints for implementing a two monitor standard.  Neither of these roadblocks are significant anymore though.  With flat screens, the amount of space two monitors takes up is often less than even that of one big CRT monitor.  The costs keep coming down as well.  A 20-inch monitor can be purchased for under $200. 

In some cases we've seen our employees and other companies employees change the configuration of the second monitor to fit their job.  Instead of positioning it horizontally, they rotate the display vertically.  For our programmers this can help read through long coding files more easily without scrolling.  In the case of a law firm it could help scan through long documents with minimized scrolling.

Even one extremely large monitor could offer the same benefits.  In the past I hadn't liked this setup because I got the feeling of disorganization having everything scattered on one large monitor.  In the new Windows 7, though, there are ways to divide your program windows cleanly onto the left side or the right side of the screen with the click of a mouse; basically giving the two monitor feeling.

Simply put, staying to one regular monitor (18 inches or less) probably is costing your company money.  Feel free to tell your boss that:-)

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Working closely with Microsoft and achieving this level of certification involves rigorous testing, training, and assessment, requiring commitment and dedication from the organization to the process. We have dedicated substantial resources to make sure our people are armed with the latest knowledge and skill-sets to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients. I am proud of our team and what they have been able to accomplish. This is just one example of their continued enthusiasm and commitment to providing our clients with a culture of service that exemplifies Leadership, Vision, and Creativity.

Core3 Solutions has also been recognized for being a Small Business Specialist with exceptional competencies in the areas of Networking Infrastructure Solutions and Information Worker Solutions which include Office Deployment Specialization.

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Recently I've found a company that actually pays you for your used gadgets such as computers, cell phones and digital cameras. The company is called Gazelle, and they currently pay you cash for your used gadgets and send you a box with prepaid shipping. How much easier does it get?

I had an old LG Rumor cell phone at home and priced it out on their site, they paid me $30 for it and I didn't have to do much of anything. Just log into their site and tell them what you have and they'll tell you what they'll give you for it. Their website also shows you a graph of price trends and lets you know how much your gadget is worth, so you know you're getting a good price.

Gazelle is currently the nation's largest reCommerce company and are on a green mission. Here at Core3 we are also on a green mission. We recycle just about everything here, from old broken computers to the McDonalds bags that had our breakfast in them. One of the most commonly asked questions we get here is "What should I do with my old computer?" and our answer is "Recycle it!" Now days the life span of a computer is about 4-5 years and many people don't know what to do with them after that time. I've seen so many old computers on the side of the road and I don't think people realize what they could have done with it. That's where a company such as Gazelle becomes such a great resource. Even if your computer isn't worth a penny anymore, they will still send you a box and recycle it for you.

The next time you have an old computer or something you just want out of the house, recycle it! Like they say" One person's trash is another person's treasure", so don't just throw out our old gadgets, send them to Gazelle and cash in on them!

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The Boy Scout motto is be prepared. This would be my first response. It will happen. Your hard drive is just waiting for you to have an important deadline before it crashes. There are a lot of options out there to protect your data. I am sure I can't cover them all but I will list a few that immediately come to mind.

 My first thought is the easiest solution. Purchase an external USB hard drive. Most external hard drives come with backup software, whether it be a trial version or a full version. I know that the Buffalo drives we sell in our office have a full version of Mimeo. Even if you didn't get some backup software with an external drive, there is a free tool from Microsoft called Sync toy that you can install and if setup properly can do an automatic backup. If you need help call us.  

The second option I immediately think of is an online backup solution. We sell a product from Iron Mountain that can be installed on your computer. This backs up your data to a data center in an underground bunker some where in Pennsylvania. So, if you are concerned about a nuclear holocaust, or you simply want an off site backup this is an excellent solution. Again, if you are interested call us. The first two options are pretty basic and they would just back up data. If you want an option that will backup everything including programs I suggest using some imaging software. There are a lot of different brands of imaging software on the market. One we use is called Acronis. The problem with simply backing up your data is when and if your hard drive does crash you will have to reinstall your operating system and all the programs onto the new hard drive. This can be very problematic if you misplaced disks or license keys for the software. Imaging resolves this by basically taking a snap shot of your hard drive. When you restore the image everything, theoretically, should look exactly as you left it. Again, call us if you have interest.

There you go...I know that you all have been waiting on pins and needles for the continuation. I was assuming that I would be getting a flood of emails asking me when I was going to finish my "award winning" blog, but I haven't seen any. I bet they just got stuck in our spam filter.

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