Tech Advisor February 2012

The Benefits of Outsourcing Your IT Environment

Platte River Networks is a great option for your company’s IT services. At PRN we recognize that IT is a critical part of most businesses. Our customers decide to outsource their IT services to PRN for a variety of reasons. A thoughtful analysis of the benefits associated with using PRN for their IT needs usually include three main considerations:

1. Reduce and control operating expenses. By choosing PRN, companies avoid the cost of in-house IT employees, whether a full time IT employee or a ‘part time role’ for an employee with other responsibilities. When there are problems it can be difficult and expensive to fix, requiring professional assistance resulting in unexpected expenses. With PRN managing your IT services, you know what your costs will be.

2. Improve quality and reliability. PRN has a staff of experts that will keep your system up and running with remote monitoring 24 hours a day and seven days a week. You will experience more ‘up-time’ through a proactive management of your services. Additionally, your information is safe guarded so you will not lose critical data and your information is secured for confidentiality.

3. Access the best and most current technology. IT technology improves at such a fast pace that normally only the biggest companies have access to the latest improvements. By choosing PRN, even a small business can enjoy the functionality and reliability of the latest technological advances.

PRN customers have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their IT needs are being managed so they can focus on their business.

For additional information about how outsourcing your IT can be a solution for your business, please contact David DeCamillis at 303.255.1941, or email him at David@platteriver.com

Client Spotlight: One Earth Future

The One Earth Future (OEF) Foundation is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization founded in 2007 by a Colorado businessman and philanthropist. OEF began operations in 2008 with a vision of developing effective and reliable systems of governance as a solution for a world beyond war by putting an end to conflict and violence. OEF supports effective and reliable governance structures that resolve crucial governance challenges.

The OEF Model of Operations

As an operating foundation, OEF is a ‘Think and Do Tank’ model. The Think Tank component envisions improved governance structures and policy options. By analyzing and documenting the performance of existing governance institutions and policies, OEF is able to provide intellectual support to the field operations of our ‘Do Tank’ side. The active field projects have resulted in programs that inform the direction and methods of a mission for governance research.

OEF is seriously concerned that the current state-centric governance structures alone cannot solve global concerns and resolve armed conflicts. We recognize that technology and globalization have created significant stresses on a global society resulting in armed violence and conflict. Combining the experience and the core knowledge generated by the Think/Do mode, OEF will take on more complicated and higher profile projects. To read about One Earth Future’s recent work to help curb piracy, please visit CNN here.

To learn more about One Earth Future, please visit their website by clicking here.

CTP Company Spotlight: Global Digital Signage

Global Digital Signage - Take Your Business Into A Whole New Stratosphere!
Platte River Networks is proud to recommend Global Digital Signage, a Colorado-based digital signage hardware, software, content and advertising firm located in Denver. GDS provides cost-effective Digital Signage solutions and services to a myriad of industries, including: Business, Retail, Health Care, Hospitality, Restaurants, Education, Government and Entertainment. Benefits of Digital Signage include:

Enable advertising revenue streams from your network
Enhance customer experience and up-sell products/services
Improve your visibility throughout the region with exposure
Leverage advertising opportunities on regional Digital Signage Networks throughout the region

Find out how your organization can improve visibility, enhance customer experience, increase revenue and grow your business! Call 720.229.2908 today or VISIT WWW.GLOBALDIGITALSIGNAGE.TV

Employee Spotlight:

Employee Spotlight: Jason Metcalfe

Jason Metcalfe, while a loveable enigma, is a true maven of the Network Systems art. After a childhood spent in Arvada, between the ages of 3 and 12, he moved to Highlands Ranch just in time to begin High School, where he stayed and graduated in 1996. Following high school, Jason embarked on a series of strange and unusual professions before landing in IT. Included in his early professional life were: a stint at a dry cleaning facility; a brief detour into cuisine (he was a pizza chef!), as well as what we are loosely terming an “early prototype of the Geek Squad model” at Best Buy. This last job not only set Jason apart as a true innovator of “Geekdom,” but also points towards the pool of IT talent employed by PRN. Not to in anyway impugn the Geek Squad, but to quote Jason: “When you go to the Geek Squad, you are getting me ten years ago. It is the same service you get at Platte River Networks, but with 10 years fewer experience.”

After these initial forays into the professional scene, Jason turned his attention to Network Systems. He moved into this industry because he wanted to emulate the happiest friends he had. These friends, however, are no longer in the IT industry: one has since become a “professional Buddhist,” and the other is a professional psychic healer. At the time of publication, Jason had no plans of moving into either of these fields.*

Once he established his professional goals, Jason joined PRN in October of 2005. On being a member of the PRN family, Jason says: “I just like my job. I like the direction the firm is heading and I like our team.” In his previous IT positions the companies all dwindled, however PRN continues to flourish, and Jason asserts that he is flourishing with it. When asked to describe his job here at PRN, Jason says: “I consult. I fix broken things. I make recommendations. I am the go-to guy for all of your tech needs.” His favorite part of the position is driving.

On a personal note, Jason is the proud father of two disturbingly angelic young boys (see picture for proof): the eight year old J.J. (Jason Jr.) and five year old Devon. Some of his favorite hobbies include “snowboarding and studying for Microsoft certification exams.” Due to the outdoor wonderland that is Colorado in winter, Jason has a great deal of affection for snow-based activities beyond the roguish sport of snowboarding, including snow angels, igloo construction and sledding on minor inclines that can be forgivingly construed as “hills.” To this end, Jason travels all over the state of Colorado to access the finest snow: Frasier; Winter Park; etc. Jason, in the PRN tradition, has a great deal of affection for animals. Unfortunately his cat, Shadow, recently passed and he has yet to replace her emotionally or physically. Kim, his lovely girlfriend, he reminds us, renders a house cat unnecessary.

*Editorial suggestion: Psychic Healer of Network Systems? Just a minor entrepreneurial suggestion.

Jason's Proust Questionnaire:

What is your most overused phrase or expression?

“R.T.F.M.”

When and where were you happiest?

"Now"

If you died and came back as a person or a thing, who or what would it be?

"The Stig from Top Gear (“A British motoring programme.”)"

If you could have any occupation, what would it be?

"Formula 1 Racecar driver"

What is your idea of total happiness?

"It happens on a regular basis."

What is your idea of complete misery?

(Jason refuses to answer, only cackles ruefully).

If not yourself, who would you like to be?

"David Beckham. My girlfriend likes David Beckham."

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

"I’d like to be able to fly. I have dreams where I can fly feet first wearing hiking boots. In these dreams I also have super leaping abilities, capable of hurdling over several mountains at once. I would like to have the wind at my feet!”

What is your motto?

"Live everyday as if it’s your last"

February Tech Tips

2012: The Latest and Newest in Security Threats

The coming year is bound to be fraught with security threats, according to industry experts. Many of these security threats began in 2011, but are set to gain momentum and evolve into more serious threats during 2012. Below are seven of the most pressing concerns:

1. Cloud Computing Gets Cloudy

Cybercriminals are set to make all of the personal and corporate data on service providers’ servers a target for malicious activity during 2012. They are hoping to discover the vulnerabilities in a security model that has grown faster than the development of cloud standards. Risk consultants from several industry leading firms have predicted that this will be a major security issue over the coming months.

2. Increases in Targeted Attacks

APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats) are expected to become much more widespread in the 2012. This term refers to a group or organization with both the capability and the intent to persistently and effectively target a specific entity. Industry experts say that APT attacks carry less risk and more profitability than botnets, which spread email and spam containing malware. As a result, the prevalence of large scale e-mail based attacks continue to diminish; while targeted APT threats are swelling.

3. The Ramifications of Industrial Revolution

Industrial control systems are also expected to take a hit this year, with their vulnerabilities exploited on a massive scale. Hackers have been given a potential door into these systems, because vendors have been developing Web interfaces for logging into these systems.

4. “Hacktivism”

New trends have also seen the rise of cyber-attacks which are not motivated by profit, namely “hacktivism.” In 2010 the Stuxnet worm was discovered, which actually damaged control systems in Iran’s nuclear facility. This served as a wakeup call to many governments and corporations. Following the success of this form of malware, there has been a rise in loosely organized political groups who, experts fear, are planning increased attacks in 2012.

5. Issues with Compliance

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard 2.0 will be prominent over the next year, as they experience some critical compliance issues. Additionally, the European Union is expected to institute much more stringent rules within its Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive, which will be hugely impactful to Web privacy. Globally, lawmakers are also expected to escalate penalties for data breaches, including holding business more accountable.

6. Geo-Location

Like it or not, every smartphone on the market is equipped with geo-location capabilities, meaning that application developers possess the ability to track users everywhere they go. Due to its controversial nature, privacy concerns regarding geo-location will continue unabated into 2012. This is a very popular feature for many users with only a few malicious parties tracking and sharing data; this, however, may be enough to spark a backlash.

7. The Rise of Emergency Technology

Management and analysis of logs from hardware and software on corporate networks are expected to rise. Such data can provide evidence of malware, giving IT a chance to neutralize the threat. Log analysis is now being included in security products, as customers see how such information can be used to thwart an attack.