Great Lakes Computer Corporation
Managed Service Provider
This video gives a quick overview of what Dell’s AppAssure software can offer your business in terms of data protection and recovery. AppAssure is the #1 unified backup and replication product that offers data protection for VM, physical and cloud IT environments.
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Unrelenting competitive pressures have SMBs looking to virtualization for the same reasons enterprises have for years: to reap cost-savings, efficiency and manageability benefits. Most SMBs need to make the most of their resources and knowledge as they plan on migrating to a virtual infrastructure, especially one that must be up and running in short order.
Without the key components of expertise and careful planning, a virtual infrastructure is unlikely to deliver the anticipated benefits and return on investment. It is possible for an SMB to virtualize successfully and cost effectively. This interactive webcast explores options and best practices for getting a virtual infrastructure in place quickly, without overtaxing IT staff.
Featured Speakers
Andy Nichols – Enterprise Technologist – Dell, Inc.
Colin Esaias – Partner Technology Specialist, Virtualization and Systems Management – Microsoft
This is not an event sponsored by Great Lakes Computer Corp., but one in which we believe you will find value in attending.
Printer Problems Plagued Local Government for YearsCleveland,OH- The Cuyahoga County government has suddenly realized their true print cost. A recent floor-by-floor census through dozens of buildings of Cuyahoga County’s office space revealed some shocking statistics. A staggering two thousand printers will be removed by the end of the year. You will be amazed by the amount of money the city will save per year from this action. Written by Michael K. McIntyre.
Click here to read the full article, “Thousands of printers get the ax at Cuyahoga County: Michael K. McIntyre’s Tipoff”:
The city is now taking steps to minimize their print cost with a managed print strategy. Managed Print Services can save your business up to 35% vs. your current OEM supplier.
Click here for a free, no obligation print cost assesment, and find out how much you’re really spending on print.
To learn more about what we can offer you as your Managed Print Service provider click here.
Agents are small applications that are installed on a server to perform a particular function. Common examples are the agents that a backup application will install on a server to back up that server and provide specific support for the applications that run on it. Over the years agents have taken the blame for ‘misbehaving’ software applications and have become ‘persona non grata’ in many data centers. Written by George Crump, Senior Analyst at Storage Switzerland, LLC.
This anti-agent movement reached new levels with virtual server infrastructures. The marketing tirades against agent-based backups are exacerbated in the virtual environment where multiple virtual machines with specific resource requirements exist on the same host which has finite resource requirements. Agentless VM backup is a result of single-point VM backup tools performing VMware backup through the vStorage API. This creates a perception that agentless is lighter and better compared to agents, which are claimed to consume more CPU cycles for overhead and limiting the host resources needed to service requests for service.
Click here to download this free whitepaper:
Great Lakes Computer is an Authorized Partner for AppAssure Software. Contact us for more information.
Tuesday, June 5, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM EDT (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PDT)
Five minutes? A terabyte-sized server? Ridiculous! Or, merely ridiculous with the data backup and recovery solution you’re currently using:
J
oin Greg Shields, Microsoft MVP and VMware vExpert, and Joseph Hand, Senior Director of Product Strategy, Dell AppAssure Software as they discuss the tools and best practices of restoring a terabyte-sized server in just five minutes.
When it comes to hosting a website there are many different types of host servers to choose from. One of the newest and most popular methods is cloud hosting. Many people with both large and small websites are now choosing cloud servers over other forms of hosting because of the appealing benefits it can offer. Before jumping into a cloud hosting package, it is important to look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of system. Written by Stephanie Mee.
What is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud hosting involves using a network of servers that share their resources with many users. Each server delivers bandwidth, hard drive space, CPU, and RAM to the websites in the cloud. If one server fails or cannot deliver an adequate power supply, another server kicks in to pick up the slack. In this way, the cloud servers can adapt and adjust to changes in the demand for resources very quickly and efficiently.
The Advantages of Cloud Hosting
One of the main advantages of cloud hosting is the flexibility it offers. Users get the power they need when they need it. Imagine that your website sees a huge spike in traffic in a very short time. With a dedicated server, you are limited to your dedicated storage space. If you see a dramatic increase in traffic, you could be looking at slow upload times and decreased functionality. Not so with cloud hosting. The cloud servers can accommodate the extra pressure on your site by contributing the resources you need to keep your site running smoothly.
The number of servers in the cloud also makes cloud hosting very reliable. With dedicated hosting and traditional VPS hosting, you are dependent on a single server. If the server fails, your site could go down and you may have to reboot the entire system or rely on a backup. With cloud hosting, there are many servers to fall back on. If one goes down, the others are still available to give you the resources you need. In addition, the servers can be redistributed very quickly so that you do not suffer downtime.
Cloud servers also negate the need to install hardware or software. You simply connect to the cloud to get access to everything you need. With other hosting systems, you may need to buy expensive programs and software licenses to upgrade your system. You may also need to build costly infrastructure to handle the new hardware and software. Cloud hosting can save you time, money, and hard drive space by providing you with the hardware and software through the cloud.
Finally, cloud hosting can be very cost effective. In the cloud, you only pay for what you use. If you only need a little bit of bandwidth or storage space, your bill will reflect this. Likewise, if you need to upgrade to handle increased pressure on your site, you simply pay for the extra resources that you use within your billing period. Furthermore, you do not have to pay for the maintenance of the hardware or software. Your provider will take care of the system maintenance and machines.
The Disadvantages of Cloud Hosting
Although cloud hosting is becoming one of the most popular methods of web hosting, there are some disadvantages to this system. The number one concern that users have with cloud hosting is security. When you store your data in the cloud, you are depending on a third party to safeguard that data. This means that your information could be vulnerable to hackers and unauthorized users. However, many cloud hosting providers take great measures to ensure that your data is safe with high-security encryption and password protection.
Another disadvantage of cloud hosting is that the more resources you use, the higher your bill will be. Although many people like that you only pay for what you need, some people find it difficult to budget for their site if the hosting bill is not consistent for each billing period. That being said, many hosting companies are working hard to offer competitive fees for their cloud hosting services as well as transparent methods to let you know when you are going over certain levels of usage.
Many people believe that the advantages of cloud hosting outweigh the disadvantages. Cloud hosting is a good option if you are looking for a reliable system that can quickly and efficiently provide you with the resources that you need when you need them. The servers can adapt to your demands in real time, making it a good choice for those who have unpredictable traffic and bandwidth requirements. Although each bill may be different depending on usage, many people like the fact that you pay for what you get and nothing more. It is for these reasons that many people are now making the switch to cloud hosting.
If you are interested to learn more about finding IT solutions “in the cloud,” we highly recommend this book from Dell as a must-have guide. Chapters include:
s in the cloud
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