Why Upgrading from XP to Windows 7 Makes Business Sense |
Sponsored by: Dell, Inc. and Microsoft |
The question is no longer whether a business can afford to upgrade from XP to Windows 7, it is whether a business can afford not to, and the answer is a resounding no.
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Tags: AtlanticCareIT, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Windows XP, Windows 7, security risk
For Immediate Release
Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office Named One of the Top-Performing SMB Channel Partners in the U.S. by Ingram Micro
World’s Largest Technology Distributor Recognizes Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office in Annual Ingram Micro SMB 500 List
New York, NY November 6, 2013 – Facsimile Communications, (dba Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office,) announced today that they have been named to the Ingram Micro 2013 SMB 500. The list was revealed at Ingram Micro’s 2013 Fall SMB Invitational and celebrates the top 500 fastest-growing Ingram Micro U.S. channel partners focused on small and midsize businesses (SMBs). Ranked at number 74 this year, (a substantial jump from 272 last year,) Atlantic grew its business with Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM), the world’s largest technology distributor, by nearly 370 percent this year from 128 percent the prior year.
The Ingram Micro 2013 SMB 500 list was derived from the more than 20,000 U.S. solution providers and MSPs who work with Ingram Micro’s U.S. SMB Business Unit. This year’s top performers posted growth of nearly 250 percent. Developed in collaboration with Ingram Micro’s Business Intelligence Center and U.S. SMB Business Unit, as well as channel research services firm The 2112 Group, the list also takes into account select criteria such as company size, overall technology category revenue growth and innovation with SMB business engagements.
“Our managed service programs allow organizations to focus on their core business, not their supporting IT infrastructure,” says Bill McLaughlin, Chief Technology Officer for Atlantic. “Our all-encompassing approach to supporting technologies brings automation, efficiency and scalability that translate into increased productivity and real savings to our customers. We are pleased to once again be recognized as one of Ingram Micro’s top-performing, SMB-focused channel partners and would like to thank our customers for their ongoing support, and for being such an integral part of our growth.”
“Having the right technology solutions and services in play can bring significant advantages to small and midsize businesses, and can be the difference between good and great companies,” says Jamie Ferullo, director of SMB sales, Ingram Micro U.S. “Our SMB 500 list represents the ‘who’s who’ in SMB when it comes to top-performing VARs and MSPs. We’re thrilled to announce this year’s winners and congratulate Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office on its growth and success.”
Click this link for the full press release: Atlantic SMB 500 List 2013
Tags: SMB 500 list, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Ingram Micro, VARs, IT infrastructure
SEATTLE — Microsoft's venerable Windows XP operating system is six times more likely to be successfully hacked than newer Windows 7 and Windows 8 personal computers.
Click this link to read the full article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/cybertruth/2013/10/29/windows-xp-users-six-times-more-likely-to-be-hacked/3287615/
Microsoft disclosed that metric at the RSA Conference in Amsterdam this morning. The software giant hopes to compel XP users to dump XP and upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8 — before it ends all XP support, including issuing security patches. That will happen come April 8, 2014.
"XP has been a beloved operating system for millions and millions of people around the world, but after 12 years of service it simply can't mitigate the threats we're seeing modern-day attackers use," says Tim Rains, director of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing.
Criminal hackers, as you might imagine, can't wait until April 8. That's because most consumers are clueless about the true scope of security risks. And thousands of companies, for economic and operational reasons, appear intent on continuing to use XP machines well after Microsoft officially stops supporting XP, which was launched in October 2001.
But the intense good-guy vs. bad-guy race to find and exploit new holes in Windows 7 and Windows 8 is not going to stop. The key point is this: Microsoft will continue to issue security patches for Windows 7 and 8, but not for XP.
Security experts anticipate that cybercriminals will move to take advantage. Historically, about two thirds of malware developed for Windows 7, for instance, work well on Windows XP, says Wolfgang Kandek, chief technology officer at cloud-based security firm Qualys.
STORY:WinPatrol detection tool can help protect XP users
Every time Microsoft issues new security patches for Windows 7 or 8, which it does on the first Tuesday of each month, hackers will get a list of fresh, never-to-be-patched security holes in most XP machines still in use.
"Attackers can take information about new problems with Windows 7 and say, 'I wonder if this works also in XP,'" says Kandek. "With no more patches available, XP will make a good target for hackers."
The sheer number of Windows XP machines still in operation provides ample incentive for the bad guys. Of the estimated 1.3 billion Windows PCs in use globally, some 21% use Window XP, according to StatCounter. And if you count the PCs accessing the Internet, as NetMarketShare.com does, some 31% are Windows XP machines.
Microsoft has stuck by XP longer than any previous version. It went eight years before cutting support for Windows NT, 11 years before doing the same with Windows 2000 and it will go 13 years before pulling the plug on XP, points out Rob Kraus, research director at security management firm Solutionary.
"Having an operating system in place for 13 years is a testament to the work Microsoft has put into the OS," Kraus says.
It was with XP Service Pack 2 in 2004 that Microsoft first enabled firewalls for Windows users by default. Subsequently, the software giant endured costly delays in the launch of XP's successor, Windows Vista, mainly to make major security upgrades. And then it reinforced those security protections in Windows 7 and 8.
"Microsoft fundamentally redesigned the operating system after XP," says Phil Lieberman, president of security consultancy Lieberman Software. "Trying to patch such an old operating system is akin to doing repairs to an old building that everybody agrees needs to be torn down."
Even so, it's highly likely millions of consumer and business XP machines will continue in use after April 8. A French company, Arkoon, has even begun offering a service that will identify vulnerabilities in XP machines after Microsoft stops issuing security patches.
And Microsoft itself is offering a failsafe for companies who can't , or won't, sunset XP. They might qualify to purchase "custom support" from Microsoft to receive critical security updates and related technical support.
Companies that face switching large numbers of XP workstations or that risk losing use of old business apps that won't run well on newer versions of Windows must do the cost vs. benefit calculation.
Pierluigi Stella, chief technology officer of Network Box USA , says for many companies still using XP, the wisest course will be to bite the bullet and upgrade.
"Generally speaking, most companies typically can be migrated without major issues," he says. "It's only a matter of planning, budgeting and executing."
Call Atlantic, Tomorrow's Office AtlanticCareIT team for help: 646-277-9130 and speak to someone who knows how to help.
Tags: AtlanticCareIT, IT support, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Windows XP, mircrosoft, USA Today
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Tags: Managed IT, Security, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Windows XP, IT, Microsoft
Read more about the Cloud, and Cloud Workspace, as well as the DocuWare Webinar sign-up.
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Tags: AtlanticCareIT, Document Management, Managed IT, Cloud Workspace™, Cloud Computing, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Cloud, DocuWare
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How Document Management Benefits Small and Medium Businesses With smaller staffs and fewer resources, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face greater constraints than large organizations, and as a result can find a document management solution even more beneficial than their larger counterparts. Improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness can help an SMB compete with the big boys. |
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http://www.icontact-archive.com/BIjzlGg_aN5NeVR8nEcgPOu4JDj93wYS?w=3 |
Tags: paperless office, paperless, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Managed Services, DocuWare
RBA 1st Annual Tech/EXPO
The RBA 1st Annual Tech/EXPO was held at the Dolce Palisades Conference Center on June 27th featuring many vendors and educational speakers. The event was sponsored by Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Superior Technology Solutions and Ruckus Wireless. The keynote address by Andrew McGregor, FBI Special Agent, highlighted cyber security and intellectual property theft, supply chain risks and the booming business of botnets.
Maryann Goldman, Special Agent FBI, introduced Andrew McGregor...
Justin Schwartz, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office and co-chair RBA Tech Initiative and Larry Weiss, President, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office (presenting sponsor) chat with Adria Gross, Medwise Insurance Advocacy and Al Samuels, RBA President/CEO...
Sharp demonstrated their Aquos Board...
Mary Ann Spitaletta, Superior Technology Solutions, described her products and services...
Danya Cohan, President, Gotham Telecom, spoke about Creating A More Efficient, Remote & Portable Office...
Patti Kanner, Managing Director, Records & Information Management, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office presented Best Practices When Moving To An Electronic Document Management System...
Tags: AtlanticCareIT, Rockland Business Association, IT support, Atlantic, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, IT Services, RBA, DocuWare, Managed Services Provider
Tags: Virtual CIO, networked printers, tapes, Atlantic, Atlantic Tomorrow's Office, Managed Services, Datto, BDR, Managed Services Provider, MSP