Great Lakes Computer Corporation

Managed Service Provider

Archives for October 2012

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Free Tuition for Goldman Sachs’ Small Business Management Education

Everything Your Small Business Needs to Grow

SMB Management classesGoldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Cuyahoga Community College is a practical business management education program that helps you develop the skills you need to grow your company.  If you are selected to participate, you also will receive a series of one-on-one business advising sessions from dedicated professionals to help develop a tailored plan for growth. 

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million national program designed to help small businesses in the United States create jobs and economic growth by providing entrepreneurs with a practical business education, access to capital and business support services.

Learn More at the link below or by clicking HERE.

http://www.tri-c.edu/workforce/GoldmanSachs/Pages/default.aspx

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We at Great Lakes Computer thought this would be an interesting program to share with our clients and blog subscribers, many of whom are Small Business Owners.  Have a good Weekend!

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Antivirus and antimalware: the importance of a company-wide strategy

Admin Rights Can BackFire on You!

Great Lakes Computer Data ProtectionMany employees who use computers routinely as a part of their daily workflow prefer to have administrator privileges over their machines so that they can install software as needed without having to wait for an IT department to provide them with services. While this strategy can provide some benefits in terms of employee satisfaction and at times, productivity, it can backfire badly when it comes to one particular category of software: antivirus and antimalware programs. For several key reasons, these types of programs are best installed and administered on a company-wide basis.

Coordinated updates

When employees manage their own antivirus programs, they may not update them on a regular basis – some workers may not ever update them at all. This obviously compromises data security. A company-wide strategy, in contrast, means that not just virus and malware definitions but also the engine programs themselves will receive regular updates.

Moreover, all such updates can be scheduled to occur at the same time – an approach that when done correctly can keep software updates from interfering with ordinary workflow. With a company-wide strategy, for example, machines can be scheduled to download and install updates seven days a week at 2 a.m. Few employees on their own would be diligent enough to update antimalware protection daily, and even those who are would have to interrupt other work tasks to do it. A coordinated, company-wide strategy solves both these issues at the same time.

Inter-program conflicts

Another reason for a coordinated antimalware strategy is the unfortunate fact that when two or more antivirus or antimalware programs are installed on the same machine, it can result in serious conflicts that slow down system operations or even cause the programs themselves to occasionally fail. Employees seeking to be diligent may install two antivirus engines and believe this is a good thing, but it takes a computer safety specialist to know when it is appropriate to use multiple antimalware strategies. Once again, a company-wide solution is the best way to guard against inter-program conflicts.

Read some more information from the source of this post at: http://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/10-tips-for-keeping-your-pc-healthy-online-0270516

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Outsourced IT services best for law firms, small and large

Law firms specific needs make a compelling argument for Managed IT Services

Lawyers Managed ServicesLaw firms have highly specific needs when it comes to IT support. Even in the modern age of computers and mobile communications, the practice of law remains an industry that is paperwork heavy. Unlike in some other industries, following precise formatting requirements is an absolute must for attorneys and their paralegal assistants. This means that the best IT support for law firms should include managed print services or even outsource print services so that printing jobs are completed quickly and accurately no matter how voluminous the paperwork involved may be.

Small law firms have special needs

Although law firms of any size can benefit from switching their IT support needs over to a managed service provider, there are special reasons why small law firms should pay particular attention to the benefits of such a strategy. Due to their training in college, law school and on the job, most lawyers are highly conversant with computer use.

This expertise, however, usually only extends to standalone computers that reach the internet through a system someone else sets up and maintains.  The result is that very few people in the legal profession have ever needed to delve into the intricacies of network management or data security procedures.

The smaller a firm is, the greater the chance that there is nobody on staff who has any experience at all in these fields. Small firms must, therefore, look outside their own ranks to find IT support specialists. The most cost-effective way to do so is by using a form of IT outsourcing known as managed services in which most IT support is provided via the internet.

Modern technology means that support personnel, a city or even an entire state away, can virtually connect to a law firm’s server and manage it from a distance, resolving many common problems without an on-site visit becoming necessary. This dramatically slashes costs as compared to hiring a part-time or full-time IT support staffer to provide services in person.

Large law firms also benefit from managed services

The principle of core competencies in business dictates that companies are most successful when they can focus their energies on the specialized tasks at which they truly excel. For law firms this means being able to concentrate on the legal cases at issue instead of trying to manage their print services needs on their own. An in-house IT support department requires a certain amount of supervision and oversight, and these tasks will take managers away from the company’s core competency of arguing cases in writing and/or in person.

Using a managed service provider can allow a business to have confidence in their data backup procedures without the need to become directly involved in the day-to-day procedures needed to ensure data integrity and security.

In the end, therefore, IT support for law firms, both small and large, is best provided through an IT outsourcing model that can leverage the specialized skills and expertise of an experienced managed services provider.

Legal Association Member Discounts

Great Lakes Computer is proud to partner with Cleveland’s premier legal organizations, providing unique offers for both the law organization of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA) and the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA).  If your firm is a member of either of these associations, we hope you will allow us to become your source for legal IT solutions.

Click below to fill out our form to view offers tailored to you and your practice.

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