WHAT'S HOT IN I.T. FOR 2011?

Harbour IT regularly hosts information sessions for our customers called Techy Brekky's. We endeavor to present sessions that are relevant, topical and of interest to our customers.

As we prepare our schedule of events for 2011, we appreciate you input into what you would like to see presented at a Harbour IT Techy Brekky. Let us know via our poll!

… AND THE WINNER IS!

Computerworld Australia's top ten most influential of 2010 

The team at Computerworld Australia are yet again counting down the top ten most influential people, technology and trends for the past 12 months. Each Friday, they will reveal the next as they head to number 1.

My bet is on Cloud Computing for number one – what do you think? The iPhone will definitely be up there yet again (#1 last year) as will iPad.

Good luck to the panel – what a mammoth task! Technology is evolving so quickly these days that each new fad is soon forgotten as the next takes over.

See the article and the list thus far here.

HARBOUR IT LAUNCH MANAGED PRINT SERVICES

Where exactly does print management fall within your organisation? Harbour IT have found that in many organisations, no one central group manages this expense and no one knows exactly how much they’re spending. You’d be surprised to know that some IT Departments don’t even know how many printers their organisation has!

More often than not, printers as purchased by departments as they’re needed. Without really knowing who’s printing what and how much of it they’re printing, how can you know exactly what you’re requirements are? Toner management if often left up to receptionists or office managers – how often have you gone to print a document only to find the printer is out of toner and someone forgot to order a replacement?

Harbour IT has partnered with HP to provide a solution to organisations looking to better manage this vital fleet. Supply management is automated, meaning you’ll never be without a printer, and help is only a call away – giving your IT team a break from troubleshooting printer issues!

To read more about this service, please click here, or call us today to see how this service can help you.

CLOUD CONNECT

By Adam Simpson, Manager – National Cloud Services

The Cloud Reaches New Heights

The demand for cloud services in the 2 months since joining Harbour IT has exceeded all expectations. It is surprising to see the uptake and commitment to these types of services in such a short period of time. I liken it to the light coming on, and it seems that IT has finally delivered on the promise to deliver cost savings and technology at the same time without impacting service.

However, the most common questions I see other then what is the cloud and what does it offer, is, what is a private cloud and what is a public cloud?

My best definition to date on what is the Cloud is, "It's the use of shared hardware, software and services, being provided to PC's and other personal devices on demand. It is no different to having access to your home phone, you always expect it to work and if you need another handset, you just plug it in.”

So what is the difference between a private and public cloud? A public cloud is shared infrastructure, generally accessed via the internet, and hosts your personal and shared applications. A private cloud again is shared infrastructure but is generally delivered on a private network or internet connection behind a firewall and to only one customer at a time. 

See also: Cloudy on Public & Private Clouds?

SIMPLE STEPS TO...

Harbour IT’s Helpdesk helps! What would you like to achieve in simple steps? Let us know – email your question to events@harbourit.com.au

Simple Steps to Make your PC Run Faster
Contributed by Hossien Dakkak, Helpdesk Manager

Let’s start off with something fairly simple, but very important. Keeping your PC running at its optimum efficiency will reduce your waiting time and frustration!

1. Free up disk space. Use Disk Clean Up to delete temporary internet files, empty recycle bin, remove Windows temporary files, remove programs you no longer use, etc.

2. Use the Defrag tool. This moves your data around to open up large sections of space.

3. Find and repair disk errors by running the Error Checking utility.

4. Add an external hard drive. At work, most of our files are stored on a server. Home computers, however, are generally full of pictures and music. Storing these files on an external hard drive will free up your disk space and make your pc run faster.

5. Get rid of spyware. Your anti virus should be protecting you against this – ensure you have anti virus!





Harbour IT’s Help Desk supports a variety of clients across a range applications. End users have phone and email support, ensuring minimal downtime and happy, efficient staff! Find out more about our 24x7 Help Desk solution here.

HIT MOTORKHANA, MELBOURNE

Melbourne's turn to host this great event! Thanks again to Rick Kelly and David Reynolds for joining us for the day.





Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.

HIT MOTORKHANA, SYDNEY

Thanks to everyone that attended - a fantastic time was had by all! A special thanks to Rick Kelly of Kelly Racing... wish I could drive like that!

Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.
View the Flickr Gallery here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/harbour-it/sets/72157625000333504/show/

CLOUDY ON PRIVATE AND PUBLIC CLOUDS? HERE’S A SIMPLE EXPLANATION!

Firstly, let’s start with a definition of exactly what ‘cloud computing’ is. Here are a couple of my favorites from around the traps:

WIKIPEDIA: Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.

GARTNER: A style of computing in which massively scalable IT-related capabilities are provided 'as a service' using Internet technologies to multiple external customers.

What is the difference between a private and public cloud?

A public cloud is a shared infrastructure, where anyone is able to tap into the resources.

A private cloud delivers resources behind a firewall to only one customer, usually on-premise.

It has been said that the term ‘private cloud’ is an oxymoron. Given the two definitions listed above, this may be the case. ‘Shared resources’ and ‘multiple external customers’ are definitely not offered within a private cloud. Private clouds lose so many of the benefits of cloud computing, such as scalability and flexibility.


There are concerns over security within a public cloud – how is my data going to be separated and secure from everyone elses on the same cloud? The term ‘public’ is fairly misleading… yes, you’re sharing a cloud, but no, there’s no ‘public access’.

Harbour IT’s cloud offering can be described as a Hybrid Cloud. While there are multiple customers on our cloud, each is stringently segregated into their own VRF (Virtual Routing & Forwarding). We use VMware’s vSphere technology – the best in the business.

Unlike many providers, Harbour IT’s data centre is located in Sydney, with a DR site in Melbourne. Both sites boast state-of-the-art security, including biometric hand geometry readers and CCTV and detailed surveillance logs.

Click to enlarge

FURTHER READING:

Online debate: public vs. private clouds: http://www.networkworld.com/community/tech-debate-private-public-cloud

VMware’s vSphere: http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/

Stats and report on cloud computing from IDC (earlier this year): http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/341263/cloud_computing_cloud_facts_figures/

ARN ROUNDTABLE: IMPROVING THE CHANNEL'S BOTTOM LINE

(www.arnnet.com.au)

How to retain profitability within the channel is an issue vendors, distributors and resellers have to constantly stay focused on

Harbour IT's Sean Bishop contributes to ARN Roundtable.

How to retain profitability within the channel is an issue vendors, distributors and resellers have to constantly stay focused on. ARN asked a collection of industry veterans to come together and discuss ways to achieve better partner profitability in a changing climate.

Nadia Cameron, ARN (NC): Why are there still issues around partner profitability today?

READ ARTICLE

RAMS LOOKS TO VIRTUALISE FRANCHISES

RAMS Home Loans has been considering rolling out a virtualised desktop to its 69 home loan centre franchises after it began virtualising its headquarters last year.

Around six months ago, RAMS started investigating VMware's virtualised environment. It deployed the virtualised desktop and server environment in October last year in its Ultimo offices, then transferred it into the company's new offices in York Street, Sydney in December.

Head of Operations and IT Mark Austin said it was a big change for the company.

"It's such a huge shift from the standard server and PC sort of environment where you can actually see, touch and control all the disparate environments," Austin said. "To actually shift to something that is not real — it's just one box — was actually quite a difficult thing to do."

Austin said that you had to be careful when moving to virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), and said that it wasn't something that would suit every business.

"You can't say to yourself that 'I'm going to replace a PC with a virtual terminal'," he said. "A PC is a powerful beast, from video capabilities to sound and all these sorts of things, [but] that doesn't come in a virtual environment.

"A virtual environment is for people that need to have core applications: Microsoft Office [and] some web browsing for the ability to run their department."

Such a set-up with basic applications was what RAMS had, he said.

The company has 120 people in total with 150 desktops available for use, 70 per cent of which were virtualised. Departments like Marketing use graphically intensive applications such as Dreamweaver and Photoshop, which were not virtualised.

Prior to moving the company's kit to the virtualised setting, Austin said RAMS had two 100-square-metre server rooms that housed approximately 80 servers in 20 racks.

After virtualising, RAMS had been able to reduce the space required down to one 20-square-metre server room. The new room housed five racks and three servers.

Data for the virtualised environment is stored on a NetApp storage area network (SAN) and is hosted within the company's York Street office, he said. All data is mirrored for redundancy.

Of the three servers, one runs Microsoft Exchange, one runs an inbound fax service and the other, the main server, runs everything else. Austin said the only reason the fax service had its own server was because it needed specific hardware that couldn't sit in a virtual environment.

Many of RAMS' applications aren't sitting on its servers at all, as it often outsourced them. "The majority of our core applications, which are probably critical to this business, are all outsourced and all web-based. We actually then farm these out to disparate organisations," he said.

The company's home loan system is hosted in Melbourne, its imaging system in Sydney, and its decision engine "in another datacentre", Austin said.

The next step for RAMS, Austin said, will be to virtualise the 69 home loan centres run privately around the country, and will be managed by IT outsourcer Harbour IT. There are around 280 desktop PCs being managed by Harbour IT currently, he said.

"That is something that we are considering," Austin said. "Rolling out the VDI environment to the franchise would allow me to not only drop my cost of ownership from an infrastructure point of view, but from a support point of view it's going to be far less [intensive] as well, therefore it's going to be beneficial to the franchisee.

"It's very doable. We could do it now. We've just got to look at the acceptance rate within the franchise network and really think 'Are we trying to apply a control on our franchise network that is really not necessary or is it just a cost-reduction exercise?'," he said.

Currently, the company invoices its franchise for any IT-related work. This is because RAMS doesn't have a financial interest in any of its franchises. In total, Austin said there were two people working on IT systems internally. One of those was him.

"So any IT or any sort of support that we provide the franchise, we actually have to charge them, that is actually quite a high cost," Austin said.

He said that when the company looked at going down the virtualisation path, it had placed a 30 per cent operational and support cost savings figure on the plan. "We're probably nudging about 50 per cent saving right now," he said. "So it's a lot better than we thought."

As well as savings, the company was also able to get a clearer picture of its software licensing.
"This allowed us to get a clear picture of what our licensing position is by moving to VDI and it also meant that we could get a consistent desktop, not prescribed in a way that it can't be customised, but people can feel that it's their space," Austin said.

HARBOUR IT – 2009 IN REVIEW

Harbour IT's Managing Director, Craig Bishop, reflects on the good and the bad (but mostly the good) from 2009.

Well, what a busy year! It started with a lot of questions about the flagging international and local economies, all of which seem to be a distant memory now. Certainly some organisations are walking around with the odd black eye and abrasion but on the whole, from our perspective, the wheels are back on.

In many ways it has been the year of "cloud computing". Whilst it means something slightly different to each person, there is no doubt that the way applications can be delivered, how data is stored and what users expect is all changing fairly rapidly. Keep up to speed in this critical area with the first of our Techie Brekkys for 2010.

Our biggest task this year has been to share the technology changes that enable this cloud computing to happen in a controlled and secure way. This requires an understanding of what can and cannot be done and what changes need to occur in order to take advantage of the technology... exciting stuff!

Windows 7 is certainly a pleasure to work with... I'm not sad about seeing Vista gone from my notebook at all.

The other big thing for us this year was the expansion of our Service Desk, which now provides 24 x 7 support for our Service Desk customers. It has been much more popular than we expected and reflects the changing expectations of our users and their working habits.

On behalf of the Harbour IT team I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your custom and say that we really appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you. We wish you, your families and loved ones a very happy Christmas and New Year.

MAKE SURE YOUR SOFTWARE IS GENUINE

Harbour IT, along with Microsoft, recognises the significant risk that unlicensed software poses to customers. Each year, millions of consumers worldwide find themselves the victims of software piracy or licensing issues.

Counterfeit software is increasingly becoming a vehicle for the distribution of viruses and malware that can target unsuspecting users, potentially exposing them to identity theft and data corruption, or loss of personal or business data.

Unlicensed or counterfeit software also leaves organisations open to fines after vendor or industry body audits.

Staying in compliance helps to reduce the risk of system failures, security breaches and financial penalties. Microsoft offers a variety of Windows legalisation solutions. To find out more, please contact your Harbour IT Account Manager.

HARBOUR IT RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS HP AWARD!

We are proud to announce that we were the 2009 recipients of the Australian Fastest Revenue Growth achievement award at the HP Premier Partner Principal Awards Night.

This National Award is hotly contested by many resellers, and we believe our maturity and growth history was a huge asset in winning the award. We thank our clients for their contribution to our continuing success as a business.

(Belinda Ross of HP congratulates Sean Bishop of Harbour IT)

HARBOUR IT GOES GREEN

Harbour IT is proud to announce that we have recently invested in REDD Carbon Credits.

A REDD Carbon Credit (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) is a carbon market mechanism created to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. By investing in these credits, Harbour IT is doing their bit to save the planet from climate change, save the rainforests, protect the earth's rich biodiversity and empower some of the most impoverished communities in the world.
Just some of the things that REDD Carbon Credits assists with are as follows:

Rainforest20% of the world's Green House Gas emissions come from the destruction or our rainforests. We have already destroyed over 78% of our world's forests. If we are to be successful in stopping climate change we must save the world's rainforests. REDD Carbon Projects (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) are the vital key to saving these unique resources.

Biodiversity
The irreversible loss of Biodiversity through rainforest destruction is threatening our earth's ecology. The extinction of species is accelerating at a rate 1000 times anything seen before on this planet. We are losing 137 plant and animal species every single day. As the rainforests disappear, so do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases.

PeopleForests are essential to the well-being of the world's poorest societies. As our rainforests disappear at an alarming rate, so do the homes, sources of livelihood and the rich cultures of millions of the poorest people on earth. Funds from BR REDD credits must be invested to achieve positive social equity outcomes for these rainforest communities.

Harbour IT is rewarded with the knowledge that we are helping to reduce our carbon footprint in a way that is not only environmentally responsible, but which provides assistance to the poorest people of the world.