theXS (a.k.a. it4lease.ca)

Integration is vital for Small Business: having a remote managed server appliance on premises, running most important network services in a secure way could represent a huge improvement in productivity and collaboration.

How to know if you can benefit from this solution? Well, this is a simple test – if you find yourself represented in more than one of below statements, then you might consider it as a good choice for your business:

IF YOU DO HAVE:

• your email on the user’s PC without a central backup
• your important files and data fragmented among your employees
• a reactive to problems instead of a proactive to solutions IT policy

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE:

• an automatic scheduled backup of your files, emails and data
• a proven and tested recovery plan
• remote but secure access to your local network services

Not sure yet? we can help: call or email for a free Consultation on your IT infrastructure and procedures

I found an article on Channel Insider UK from Frank Ohlhorst, presenting edgeBOX from the MSP (Managed Service Provider?) view. As long as this is exactly our approach for this solution, I wanted to quoted here… completely, while citing the original source for a right reference. It’s a lesson for me as a presentation, hopefully helps me to carry my message:

-o0|0o-

Critical Links’ EdgeBox Creates Ample Opportunities for Solution Providers
Date: 17-02-2009, By: Frank Ohlhorst

By combining the best bits of open-source software into a VOIP appliance, Critical Links brings convergence to a new milestone and creates what may be the must-have appliance for most any SMB.

Solution providers are turning to recession-resistant technologies to weather the current economic storm. Technologies such as voice over IP, security and remote access are becoming the solutions of choice to create revenue in challenging times. But there are still significant challenges ahead for those solution providers, ranging from training to product selection to identifying target markets. In other words, it’s going to take a lot more than selling a better mouse trap to succeed today and tomorrow.

For solution providers pursuing the small and midsize business market, the challenges are Read more…

I really liked that phrase “Fortune 5 Million businesses” – what a good idea. This is from Enflux Technologies a VAR in Illinois who is deploying solutions using edgeBOX by Critical Links.

I contacted Mike Hanson from Enflux just to share his video presentation and experience with my readers, about the edgeBOX; It’s about 5 minutes and just talking, but it shows clearly the advantages of this integrated solution, going from the common scenario of multiple devices to an all inclusive server / network appliance. Enjoy the presentation.

Please, all the credit goes to Mike — Thanks.

IMAP is one of those rare and old beauties, a few have used at least among my peers. IMAP is in an alternative to POP3 protocol commonly used to retrieve messages from the server to an email client application like Outlook, Thunderbird, Evolution and others.

I won’t go here over the details but just outline some of its advantages on the user’s perspective

• messages stay on the Server
• mail boxes can be accessed by several users simultaneously
• flags like read, replied, important, etc stay on the Server
• easy to backup from just one location on the Server
• client program and local information problems are irrelevant
• download just header and when read, save a local copy
• using mix format instead of mbox/maildir makes index and storage optimum
• files size is optimal for easy search and backup — no more huge PST files

When I learned all this, I only regret it wasn’t long before, Read more…

How to know if edgeBox – a OneBox solution – is Suitable, Useful, Recommended and Effective for our Organization?
How to be SURE?

Well, this is a simple test – if you find yourself represented in more than one of below statements, then edgeBox is SURE for you.

IF YOU DO HAVE:

• your email on the user’s PC without a central backup
• your important files and data fragmented among your employees
• an old fashioned paper-fax machine, both to send and receive
• an isolated phone system disconnected from your data and remotely unreachable
• to call your office to retrieve your voice message instead of receiving by email
• a reactive to problems instead of a proactive to solutions IT policy

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE:

• an automatic scheduled backup of your files, emails and data
• a proven and tested recovery plan
• secure access to your local resources
• a security updates management system
• a central up to date anti – spam, virus and other malwares
• remote but secure access to your local network services

Be SURE edgeBox is for you!!

E-mail is predominant nowadays but still fax is a must for many organizations. Even though we don’t have to keep using traditional paper fax, specially with so many fax-spammers around — the solution would be Fax-to-Email combined with Email-to-Fax.

Fax-to-Email: just define incoming fax number among available phone or DID numbers and the email address you want to receive all faxes and that’s it — this fax account allows you to receive faxes without having a fax machine; the received faxes are converted to email PDF attachments and delivered to the email address you choose.

Email-to-Fax: just define a special email account in your local domain and send an email with the document you want to be faxed as a PDF attachment and the recipient fax number as a subject — this fax account allows you to send faxes without having a fax machine (*)

(*) an internal technicality as a reminder: on the outgoing call rules you want to use for sending fax, you have include fax device among the allowed under access control

In plain user language, what would I get when using edgeBox in my Office?

1. All-In-OneBox network solution remotely managed – the ICT guy comes with the Box
2. Your web/email/file/access/security servers in one place at your premise
3. Local wired/wireless and Remote As Local user access, HO and branch integration
4. Automatic Backup to local, network or remote drive and a proven Recovery Plan
5. Share and Unified Data-Fax-Mail-Voice
6. Anti-Spam, Anti-Virus, email/file scan on the Server side
7. Local AAA authentication, authorization and accounting with detailed reports
8. Monthly affordable leasing payment, deductible expenses instead of investment
9. Moving “your Values” from Desktops to the Server

[this is still a work in progress, but I rather have it available even as a Draft, for our customers and prospects reference]
Unlike previous post about OneBox’s selling features, we are now focused on the negative approach: the PAIN suffered by many SMB customers because of their network/server infrastructure, lacking features and functionality.

Check this unsorted list (no priority) of most common Pains, all of them relieved with OneBox:

• Ineffective Data Protection: no centralized backup, no centralized access to Internet , no recovery of accidentally deleted files, no security update management, no recovery plan
• Inefficient Data Organization : documents and e-mails are stored  on user’s computers, no user-password authentication – authorization, no shares for files and emails, no managed faxes
• Productivity Loss: no shares for collaboration, no effective anti-spam means tons of unsolicited emails, no remote
• Non-unified Communication: data and voice are on their own and usually unreachable when most you need them
• No effective backup and restore: no automatic backup is meant to disaster, aggravated with no planned/tested recovery plan

Like a theatrical piece or a translating dialogue between what the IT guys like to say and what The User wants to hear
(this would work as a selling guide and a value proposal, but also as a deserved Customer appreciation act)

User: Company email boxes are in one location, while users would have secured access from anywhere
IT: IMAP mail boxes, NAC & AAA while connecting through LAN, WLAN or VPN,

User: Company data is secure hosted in the server and shared as needed among users and groups
IT: Firewall, SSH, NAC, windows SMB, shares, PDC support, quota, backup/restore

User: Reduce time navigating through unsolicited email, possible threats, malicious attacks and further damage control
IT: Anti-virus, anti-spam, email scan, closed firewall, filters, DoS protection

User: Reduce ongoing expenses on maintenance, repair, hydro, a/c, phone and fax bills
IT: 9-in-1 appliance, one leasing payment, remote managed services from one single source

User: Unified Data and Voice Communication on One shared and secured Box at your premises
IT: VoIP/IP-PBX, IVR, Follow me, QoS, Firewall, VPN, fax2mail, mail2fax

User: Voice access whenever you need it, wherever you are, no more missed calls and opportunities
IT: hunt/ring/queue groups, meet me, follow me, conference room, LD at local rates, DISA, voice2mail and more

User: Proactive plus Reactive IT approach, the best of both worlds at your hands
IT: no hassle edge technologies by default, IT guy over your shoulder and always on call

User: And a lot more features and benefits
IT: sure thing, instead of making it easier for you, we’ll do it for you