2012 – Unified Network Services

Network Solutions Email Problems

Business Systems Support Communications Cyber Security

Just received this update from my Exchange service provider about email problems with Network Solutions.

Service Advisory: [my provider] has discovered a possible issue with certain Network Solutions name servers. When looking up DNS information for domains hosted on Network Solutions or when querying Network Solutions name servers, we have seen intermittent time outs. This issue was discovered when customer reported bounce backs for people trying to send them mail. People sending to domains hosted on these servers may receive similar bounce backs. After some research, we found reports of similar issues by other companies (outside of [my provider]) and reports from Network Solutions stating that there may be a Denial of Service Attack (DDOS). We will monitor this issue and provide an update when the issue has been resolved by Network Solutions.

Such a shame that a company the size of Network Solutions allows this to happen. Top shelf Dynamic DNS provider Dyn, aka Dynamic Network Services, Inc and DNS provider OpenDNS figured out DNS long ago.

If it were my business depending on email, I would think seriously about deploying excellent hosting from Bluehost with DNS from OpenDNS and Dynamic DNS from Dynamic Network Services, Inc

Bluehost consistently makes it into the top hosting companies acclaimed “the best and brightest of the hosting world” by WordPress.

QuickBooks, Servers and Power Outages

QuickBooks

I answered an interesting email after the last round of Spring thunderstorms a couple of weeks ago. The inquiry came from an individual that built a Dedicated QuickBooks Server for their office.

We had a long power shut down today. The reboot on the QB server takes me to the Administrator Logon Screen, enter password. Needless to say, I had to pull out a monitor, keyboard etc. Was the system designed to completely reboot automatically and be accessible via the network share?

Your server will serve QuickBooks company files to client computers without being logged in to a desktop. However, power outages, especially long ones, can be troublesome. The computer should have shut down gracefully when the battery backup bled down to ten percent remaining battery. But I’ve seen some battery backups with some age on them, go from ten percent to zero in an instant, turning off the computer hard without it completing a shutdown sequence. Your server should never be run without a battery backup.

Occasionally, it becomes necessary to put a monitor, keyboard and mouse on a server that gets scrambled due to a power outage.

The default setup of the QuickBooks server requires manually turning on the server after a battery backup has discharged completely and shut down the server. The correct order for any Windows server is to turn on the server, then wait several minutes, then restart all clients that have a share connecting to the server.

To check and/or configure the startup functions in XP, go to Control Panel >> System >> Advanced Tab >> Startup and Recovery Block Settings Button.

Hopefully, you can avoid power outage problems with a solid battery backup dedicated to your QuickBooks Server. I use an APC Back-UPS XS BX1000G 1000VA Tower UPS and use only the single power cord from the server to the UPS. I tape over the remaining outlets to prevent anyone from plugging in another device to the UPS. I monitor both the server and the UPS so that I replace the UPS battery long before it fails.

Your Business Computers Need Flint Catchers

Business Systems Support Cycling

Flint Catchers come from a bygone era of English cycling when an afternoon sporting ride would take one along the dirt paths and gravel roads of the UK. Flint Catchers or Tyre Savers as they were called, came in all shapes and sizes, but they were all designed to remove rock chips, "flints", glass, nails and other road debris from the expensive flat prone bicycle tyres of the day. The more expensive Flint Catchers were hand crafted alloy or chromed steel.

Flint Catchers attached to the front and rear brake center bolts and would glide across the rotating tyre, removing their charges before subsequent revolutions of the tire embedded the debris into the tyre, flatting it. Less expensive Flint Catchers were made of stainless steel wire and rubber tubing. But, they all provided a basic level of protection for those expensive tubular tyres.

Today, a good set of road racing tubular tyres will set one back a couple of hundred dollars.

So, what do flint catchers have to do with business computers? It’s quite simple really. Think of your company’s network of computers, network printers/scanners and tablets/smart phones as those expensive tubular tyres that keep your business rolling along. And, think of proactive monitoring and security as your Flint Catchers, protecting every revolution of your expensive computer resources. Desktop and laptop security software, unified threat management at the Internet gateway and device monitoring comprise the three pillars of maintaining robust local network computing. Your business would be at risk to try to roll along without any one of these three pillars.

During your first quarter planning, consider addressing desktop and laptop security software, unified threat management at the Internet gateway and device monitoring. If you need assistance, contact me and come along for the ride.

If you’re interested in protecting your expensive bike “tyres”, search eBay for Flint Catchers.

cycling

New VR Cycling Studio Runs Video Intensive

Cycling

One of my more interesting projects occurred when I agreed to tackle a new Virtual Reality Cycling Studio shortly before my birthday this Summer.

The studio is VR Cycling Studio, the brainchild of Steve Elliott, a cycling coach, massage therapist, former bicycle racer, bicycle advocate and visionary. Steve’s pulled together ideas from fitness centers, bicycle racing, training regimens and computer technology to create a state of the art cycling training center. I’m honored that he found me to work with him to overcome the computer and technology challenges of his new venture.

Virtual Reality Cycling trains a cyclist by using a bicycle control mechanism to simulate road load and measure cycling performance. Combined with 1080p HD video and sophisticated software, a cyclist can enjoy a custom made training planed workout along with the visual stimulation of some of the finest bike rides on the planet. Take one look at the studio’s CompuTrainer training stations and you will come away with the sense of how important HD 1080p video becomes to the overall effectiveness of the virtual cycling training experience.

The heart of state of the art virtual reality cycling is the system developed by RacerMate, the CompuTrainer, RacerMate’s software and an impressive software developed by Paul Smeulders, called ErgVideo.

CompuTrainer provides the most interesting indoor bike experience yet created. It increases your cycling power by 20 to 30% and your speed by 2 to 4 MPH. Whatever your starting point, you’ll improve significantly.

CompuTrainer is best in its class by a wide margin. It sets the industry standard for accuracy (± 2.5%), power (1500 watts), quality, and service lifetime (10+ years). Exclusive performance features like SpinScan™ electronic pedal stroke analysis and Adjustable Aerodynamic Drag Factor are unique to CompuTrainer. Cycling and triathlon coaches worldwide use CompuTrainer as their primary testing instrument. USA Triathlon and USA Cycling test and train their team athletes with CompuTrainer.

I’ve learned a couple of great lessons.

First, that the right video deployment can make a business. ErgVideo™ creates a true simulation from the real power requirements of an event or training session. With an easy-to-use interface, you can adjust the power profile, and even edit the training sequence, to suit your own fitness level and targets. You can also choose from several pre-defined workouts or an entire training plan, created by NCCP III certified coach and ErgVideo developer Paul Smeulders, for each ErgVideo™. Rendered in 1080p HD video from the right computer equipment, the workout time that can sometimes exceed an hour and a half just blows by. I know, because I train at VR Cycling Studio when my schedule permits.

Second, after 20+ years off a bike and a 60th birthday, virtual reality cycling training and a reasonable training plan helped condition me to return to road cycling and experience all of the excitement, intensity and great local scenery that I had missed. Work can often be an awful lot of fun.

Windows 7 Home Networking With QuickBooks Pro 2012 3 User Works Great

2 comments

QuickBooks

Some of my simplest Multi User QuickBooks installations use Windows 7 Home Networking with great success.

My three step process starts with a default Windows 7 Home Networking setup and several new Windows 7 Home Premium or Pro computers with Microsoft Security Essentials or other Internet security software installed. I use the Windows 7 Home Networking wizard to create the primary Windows 7 Home Networking computer. Then, I attach each subsequent computer to the primary computer with a gigabit network switch and by configuring Windows 7 Home Networking using the wizard and Windows 7 Home Networking password.

Once I have several Windows 7 Home Networking computers setup and working with each other and printing to a network printer, I begin my second step. I install a default multi user QuickBooks setup on the primary Windows 7 Home Networking computer, paying close attention to the firewall questions that open up appropriate ports for QuickBooks to function correctly. I use the “I’ll be using QuickBooks on this computer, AND I’ll be storing our company file here so it can be shared over our network” option to install QuickBooks. I open QuickBooks to register, create users and host the company files. Then I copy or add a new company file to the default shared company files folder. I also take note of the QuickBooks default shared company files folder and name of the primary computer.

Finally, I install QuickBooks 2012 on each networked computer and map the shared company files folder using the name of the primary computer. If any computer has difficulty opening a shared company file, I use Intuit’s QuickBooks Connection Diagnostic Tool to locate and repair any network issues. I log on to QuickBooks and test several simultaneous users on different computers.

Intuit provides the QuickBooks Connection Diagnostic Tool at http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/networking/nettool.aspx

The QuickBooks Install Center at http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/InstallCenter/default.aspx can answer additional questions you might have about your Multi User QuickBooks installation.

Painless QuickBooks Does Cloud QuickBooks Better

QuickBooks

Our Painless QuickBooks Private Cloud Server offers a better way to do QuickBooks. We keep you totally in control of your data and your QuickBooks Cloud Computing accounts. You will never be bound to one QuickBooks hosting company.

No other QuickBooks hosting provider allows you to have a complete Windows server environment with off site, out of region QuickBooks company files backup or seven days of QuickBooks company files backups for review and transaction recovery.

You own and control both your Windows and QuickBooks licensing. You can easily scale up your business to meet new challenges.

Access QuickBooks and other desktop productivity software from consumer grade computers from any high speed Internet connection. If you need a complex QuickBooks Cloud environment, consider Painless QuickBooks Cloud Computing.

Please contact us for more information.

[contact-form subject=’Painless QuickBooks Private Cloud Inquiry’][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Telephone’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Best Time To Call’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’/][/contact-form]