InformationWeek Stories by Kevin Casey

InformationWeek Stories by Kevin Caseyhttp://www.informationweek.comInformationWeeken-usCopyright 2012, UBM LLC.2013-01-03T09:06:00Z7 Great Add-Ons For BasecampThese 7 apps and add-ons will help you get the most of the Basecamp cloud project management and collaboration platform. http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/7-great-add-ons-for-basecamp/240145422?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-free-open-source-technologies-for-lean/240144347"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/927/Intro_tn.jpg" alt="9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs" title="9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div> No matter how good a cloud platform is, it's often truly brought to life by the apps, add-ons, and integrations available to users and IT pros. Basecamp, the project management and collaboration suite from 37 Signals, is no exception. It offers a lean, manageable <a href="http://basecamp.com/extras">menu of extras</a> created by third-party developers for everything from mobility to analytics to backup. The trick, of course, is picking the right ones based on your needs and use cases. In an email interview, Nick Narodny, cofounder and SVP of business training at Grovo, shared four of his must-have Basecamp extras. (If you need a crash course in how to use Basecamp, Grovo offers a half-dozen <a href ="http://www.grovo.com/basecamp">online training videos</a> free of charge.) We tacked on a few more for good measure. Rappel "Absolutely necessary for anyone with an <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/apple-tests-iphone-6-not-a-shocker/240145380">iPhone</a> [who] needs to access Basecamp projects on the go," Narodny said. <a href="http://www.rappelapp.com/">Rappel</a> is more expensive than some other apps for Basecamp, but according to Narodny, the $9.99 price tag is well worth it for heavy iPhone users. "Rappel offers the full functionality of the Basecamp on the Web, plus the speed and simplicity of a well-designed mobile app." [ What IT trends do you expect to see for small and midsize businesses this year? See <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/7-smb-technology-predictions-for-2013/240144993?itc=edit_in_body_cross">7 SMB Technology Predictions For 2013</a>. ] UpcomingTasks <a href="https://upcomingtasks.com/pages/home.php">UpcomingTasks</a> offers a mobile alternative for users who don't want to pony up for a paid app, or for the legions who use <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/10-essential-android-apps-for-work-home/240142920">Android devices</a>. "Also a great option for the Basecamp user on the go, UpcomingTasks is a super-simple way to check Basecamp tasks from any mobile device," Narodny said. "It's free to use and it's not limited to Apple products." EasyInsight With growing demand for easy-to-use methods of slicing and dicing <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/3-ways-smbs-can-leverage-big-data/240144092">large piles of data</a>, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the "Reporting, Charts, Planning" category of Basecamp extras is the most robust. Narodny likes <a href="http://www.easy-insight.com/solutions/basecamp.html">EasyInsight</a> for its ability to produce highly visual reports. The EasyInsight platform also works with other popular cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Google, and Zendesk. "If you're a visually oriented person, or if you [simply] need reporting features from your Basecamp projects, EasyInsight is a great addition," Narodny said. "Once you've connected [the two applications], EasyInsight can build graphs and charts based on the information in your Basecamp account." Zapier Integration is the name of the cloud game for many organizations. <a href="http://www.zapier.com">Zapier</a> integrates Basecamp with more than 140 other online apps, including Evernote, Facebook, Google Apps, WordPress and Yammer. "Zapier connects Web-based services together so you can create automated tasks from one service to another," Narodny explained. "For example, if you want to create a Basecamp task each time you get an email with a particular label, you can connect Basecamp with Gmail and build the formula. Or, if you've got big files shared with others in your Basecamp account, you can use Zapier to sync a Dropbox folder as a backup for those files." To follow on the heels of Narodny's recommendations, here are three more Basecamp apps for your consideration: Statusboard We seem to focus on making sure our apps are available on the small screen -- specifically, our phones and tablets. But it's less than ideal to huddle the team around an iPhone. While still in beta, <a href="http://statusboard.me/">Statusboard</a> enables you to put your Basecamp information on an office TV monitor or other large-screen display. It also includes integrations for Google Analytics and Twitter data. Wappwolf and Yoxel Backup and sync features are critical when managing a large quantity of documents and other data across a project team. There are several Basecamp extras for these functions, depending on which other platforms you use and what you want to sync. <a href="http://www.wappwolf.com">Wappwolf</a> will automate backup and sync between Basecamp and Box.net, Dropbox and Google Drive. <a href="http://yoxel.com/basecamp-sync.html">Yoxel</a> syncs Basecamp calendars and tasks with Exchange and Google Apps. Cloud computing, virtualization and the mobile explosion create computing demands that today’s servers may not meet. Join Dell executives to get an in-depth look at how next-generation servers meet the evolving demands of enterprise computing, while adapting to the next wave of IT challenges. <a href="https://www.techwebonlineevents.com/ars/eventregistration.do?mode=eventreg&F=1005372&K=EOA">Register for this Dell-sponsored webcast now</a>.2012-12-28T09:06:00ZZuckerberg Photo Flap: 4 LessonsWhat Randi Zuckerberg's 'private' Facebook photo -- and subsequent Twitter fuming -- can teach the rest of us about social business.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/zuckerberg-photo-flap-4-lessons/240145327?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors  <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/galleries/strategy/the-brainyards-7-social-business-leaders/240062675"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/900/350F2_ChrisLaping_full.jpg" alt="The BrainYard's 7 Social Business Leaders Of 2012" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">The BrainYard's 7 Social Business Leaders Of 2012</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow) </div>   Nothing quite says the holidays like quarreling over a private family Facebook photo made public on Twitter. Randi Zuckerberg, sister of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and a former company executive, posted a recent family photo -- which included her brother -- which she presumed to be private. The photo was then tweeted by <a href="https://twitter.com/cschweitz">Callie Schweitzer</a> to more than 40,000 followers (then shared countless times, no doubt) after it first appeared in her Facebook newsfeed. According to <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20121227/business/712279935/">the AP recap</a> of the social spat, Zuckerberg tweeted to Schweitzer that reposting the photo was "way uncool." That tweet has since been deleted. The dustup follows <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/240144443/facebooks-new-privacy-policies-the-good-news">recent changes</a> to Facebook's privacy controls, along with a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/instagram-users-fume-at-photos-as-ads/240144635">digital uproar</a> over updates to Facebook-owned Instagram's terms of service. Randi Zuckerberg later returned to Twitter to offer a plea for "digital etiquette: always ask permission before posting a friend's photo publicly. It's not about privacy settings, it's about human decency." While the Twitterati debate the nuances of privacy, etiquette, and human decency, let's look at four lessons learned for conducting social business. [ Which rules of etiquette would you like more users to follow on social media? Here are a few suggestions: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/social-its-a-matter-of-manners/240145326?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Social: It's A Matter Of Manners</a>. ] 1. Privacy on social networks is a myth. Online privacy is a nice idea, but to expect it fully on social networks is a setup for disappointment -- or worse. If you want to play it safe, assume everything you post to social sites is public, even if your privacy settings dictate otherwise. The fine print on Facebook and other networks changes regularly, and this trend will no doubt continue as these sites seek ways to make money from a product they're largely giving away for free. As for Zuckerberg's plea for "digital etiquette," we all hope our friends and family don't misuse our photos, emails, and other online stuff. And yes, it's a reminder that there are indeed people on the other ends of our social media interactions. But the notion also highlights how social sites have co-opted the meaning of "friend." Schweitzer wasn't actually a friend, but a Facebook subscriber. Zuckerberg later <a href="https://twitter.com/randizuckerberg/status/284062584347435008">tweeted</a>: "Fwiw, I've been exchanging emails w/ @cschweitz & she seems lovely." To rely on Zuckerberg's version of digital etiquette in a business context -- one that includes customers, competitors, former employees, media, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/ransomware-social-scams-lead-2013-smb-se/240143019">online crooks</a>, and other audience groups -- seems naive at best. 2. Personal can become professional in an instant. The latest online privacy dustup shows again the speed with which personal can become professional, and vice versa. An apparently harmless family photo is now "a Facebook story." Zuckerberg's celebrity certainly magnified the issue -- it's an extreme case -- but the same concept applies to everyone who's on a social site. A personal photo or post on Facebook, for example, can quickly cross into the professional realm simply by virtue of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/social-media-can-hurt-you-in-a-lawsuit/231900409">listing an employer</a> on your page. BYOD is an enormous multiplier here, as data on employee-owned devices -- including social media activity -- used for work <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">can be discoverable</a> in business lawsuits. Don't simply trust that common sense will prevail on social and other online media. Educate yourself and employees on account and privacy settings. Manage risks with clear, enforceable corporate policies. 3. Twitter is not an appropriate forum for hashing out disputes. There are some compelling examples of Twitter as a customer service channel, such as <a href="https://twitter.com/ComcastBill">"Comcast Bill."</a> But working out heated disagreements in Twitter shorthand -- and in public -- is chock-full of peril. Move <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/5-tips-for-handling-complaints-on-social/232901141">contentious interactions to a different forum</a> with fewer prying eyes. Zuckerberg's photo itself was pretty innocuous; the ensuing tweets generated the real attention, much of it negative. The "digital etiquette" message alone has been re-tweeted more than 500 times. 4. Social business isn't always puppies and kittens. There's an endless supply of advice for small businesses and other organizations trying to get a handle on social media. Much of that information seems to suggest that social is a sure thing -- do it and watch the cash register ring. But there's a downside, too, and when things go wrong they often do so in a public forum, which can be expensive. Take <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/do-nonsocial-smbs-know-something-we-dont/231000244">the cautionary tale</a> of the Redner Group. The small PR firm fumed on Twitter over unfavorable coverage of one of its client's video games and implied it would withhold review copies from certain outlets in the future, causing a backlash. The client subsequently fired the firm. It's a pretty safe guess that Randi Zuckerberg -- and certainly her brother -- isn't losing much sleep over this incident. It's probably not going to hurt her bottom line. For the rest of us, though, it's a reminder that social business isn't always free and easy. It <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/231300348/why-your-organization-needs-a-social-networking-policy">requires real thought,</a> like any other business initiative. Cloud computing, virtualization and the mobile explosion create computing demands that today’s servers may not meet. Join Dell executives to get an in-depth look at how next-generation servers meet the evolving demands of enterprise computing, while adapting to the next wave of IT challenges. <a href="https://www.techwebonlineevents.com/ars/eventregistration.do?mode=eventreg&F=1005372&K=EOA">Register for this Dell-sponsored webcast now</a>.2012-12-27T11:06:00ZWhy One SMB Sticks With Windows XP: Truckload Of Toner For budget-constrained small businesses, the decision to upgrade from XP is complicated by older networks, peripherals, applications, and, in this case, a multi-year stockpile of printer supplies.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/why-one-smb-sticks-with-windows-xp-truck/240145237?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-8-big-benefits-for-smbs/240142263"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/907/01_windows8pro_tn.jpg" alt="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" title="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>  Like many small businesses, Veripic strives to get the most possible bang for its buck. It's not surprising, then, that the 17-person company is still using Windows XP, Microsoft's popular but aging operating system. But they're not sticking with XP because they don't want to buy new hardware or software. Rather, the company is sitting on a stockpile of printer supplies -- toner, drum units, and the like -- for seven Konica Minolta Magicolor 2200 color lasers. Standardizing on a single printer enabled Veripic to purchase large volumes of supplies at discount. The problem occurred when Konica Minolta released the next generation of the Magicolor line. "They didn't upgrade the drivers because they wanted people to go to the new printers, but by then we already had several years of supplies," said Veripic CEO John Kwan in an interview. <a href="http://www.veripic.com">Veripic</a> does have Vista, Windows 7, and now <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-lets-not-plan-the-funeral-yet/240142707">Windows 8</a> machines in its office. But they are primarily there to ensure that Veripic's software for managing digital evidence, which is used by law enforcement agencies and the military, runs well on those platforms. Any employees who rely regularly on the Magicolor printers, such as the accounting department, will keep using XP until the supplies are exhausted. It's going to take a while: Kwan said they've got "thousands of dollars" worth of toner and other supplies on hand. [ Holding back on upgrading to Microsoft's newest OS? You're not alone. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a>. ] Depending on whose numbers you use, as many as two in five PCs worldwide <a href="http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0">still run XP</a>, even though the OS is now more 11 years old. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/microsofts-big-hits-and-misses-of-2012/240145087">Microsoft</a> will end support for XP in April 2014. Last year, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-exec-time-for-windows-xp-to-go/231601604">told financial analysts</a>, "This has been a great product, XP has been a wonderful product; great TCO has been given. It's now time for it to go." As part of its overall <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">cost-saving strategy</a>, Veripic handles its own publishing and printing for everything from estimates and invoices to marketing collateral -- one of the reasons for its supply stockpile. When the ink eventually runs dry, Veripic plans a broader technology upgrade that will include its printing processes. Still, Veripic will likely have at least one XP box in use for five or more years, Kwan said. Many of the customers are police departments, which Kwan said tend to lag behind in technology refresh cycles. "Believe it or not, in this day and age, most of our customers are still on XP," Kwan said. Microsoft's end-of-life date for isn't circled on Veripic's calendar. "We have to ignore it," Kwan said, adding that his engineering team has found that some of Veripic's graphics-intensive applications -- the software is commonly used to store crime-scene photos -- still run faster on XP than on subsequent Windows versions. "Rendering digital pictures on screen is faster on XP than under the later platforms," Kwan said. "For our industry, performance is everything. A little bit of difference makes a big difference for us." Veripic's not alone. Bryce Katz, president of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/katzcc">Katz Computer Consulting</a>, said he has several SMB clients whose legacy networks, equipment, or applications have made an upgrade from XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8 far from a straightforward decision. A small sign-making business, for example, asked Katz to review their hardware and software for a possible Windows 7 upgrade soon after it was released because they'd been hearing rave reviews. "The versions of all their design software would work with the security changes in Windows 7, but there was one large problem," Katz said via email interview. "The $12,000 material cutter they used to create decals didn't have a driver for Windows 7." In effect, upgrading would be far more costly than any potential downside of staying on the older OS, so Katz advised them to wait. The manufacturer has since released a Windows 7 driver, and the sign maker is now running Windows 7. But Katz has other clients that plan to ride XP into the sunset and beyond. One industrial client plans to use refurbished XP boxes on its production floor for the foreseeable future, owing to an expected lifespan of just eight months under harsh conditions. "Even clean factories aren't nice places for computers," Katz said. "The software used on the floor is pretty light, has a few oddball issues with Windows 7, and the ready availability of refurbished Windows XP machines for $300 or less makes them largely throw-away units." One of Katz's retail customers runs on even older infrastructure: four aging point-of-sale locations networked with a server via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10BASE2">"thinnet" cable</a>. "The 'server' is a Windows 98 box running on, I think, a 486 processor with 128MB of RAM," Katz said. "A screaming-fast system once upon a time, but now it makes people like me scream in horror at the thought of supporting it." The store's owner is well-aware of her system's antiquity, but replacing the network, POS, and accounting system was estimated to run $75,000 -- a project that would also include the manual re-entry of thousands of SKUs worth of inventory data. "The risk of crash, while real, was actually less expensive," Katz said. "$500 every six to 12 months to resurrect an ancient machine wouldn't pay for the cost of a new system before she retired and sold the operation." Morris <a href="http://www.tabush.com">Tabush</a>, head of the IT firm Tabush, isn't actively trying to extend the life of XP for any clients, which total more than 3,000 desktops under his management. He's also not in any huge rush to get them to Windows 7, nor is he concerned about Microsoft's 2014 end-of-life deadline. While Tabush sometimes turns to Microsoft for server support, PCs are another story. "For many end users, XP is just fine," Tabush said via email. "Not having Microsoft support is meaningless. We [have] never had to call Microsoft for desktop OS support in the past and don't plan to in the future." Upgrading isn't the easy decision that Win 7 was. We take a close look at Server 2012, changes to mobility and security, and more in the new <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/092412/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Here Comes Windows 8</a> issue of InformationWeek. Also in this issue: Why you should have the difficult conversations about the value of OS and PC upgrades before discussing Windows 8. (Free registration required.)2012-12-21T09:06:00Z7 SMB Technology Predictions For 2013What's in store for small and midsize business technology in the new year?http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/7-smb-technology-predictions-for-2013/240144993?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-free-open-source-technologies-for-lean/240144347"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/927/Intro_tn.jpg" alt="9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs" title="9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>As we move headlong into 2013, it's time to dust off the crystal ball and play fortune teller. I asked several analysts for their take on the year ahead in small and midsize business (SMB) technology. I sprinkled in a few of my own thoughts, too, including a confidence rating of high, medium, or low. (Consider the latter the longer-odds picks.) Without further ado, here are 7 IT predictions for SMBs in 2013. 1. A Growing Gap Between IT Haves, Have-Nots Around this time last year, the folks at the <a href="http://www.smb-gr.com">SMB Group</a> coined the phrase "progressive SMB," referring to smaller firms that prioritize strategic IT spending tied directly to bottom-line growth and other business initiatives. SMB Group partner Laurie McCabe described the less strategic flip side of that coin: "I get technology when I have to, but I don't think that proactively about it," McCabe said in an interview. There will be a growing gap between the IT haves and have-nots in 2013. The latter will fall behind the former on a wide range of business technology fronts such as mobile, cloud, social, virtualization, and analytics -- enough so that the back of the pack may never catch up. SMB Group data shows that 85% of SMBs with increasing IT budgets expect revenue growth in the coming year, compared with just 38% of SMBs with flat IT budgets and 42% of firms planning to decrease tech spending in 2013. The good news: That "progressive SMB" segment is growing, according to McCabe. She attributes that in part to an increasing number of companies founded by young entrepreneurs and tech-savvy professionals who were laid off during the recession. Confidence: Medium [ Will you make any new IT hires in the New Year? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/smbs-spending-on-it-not-new-it-hires/240134962?itc=edit_in_body_cross">SMBs Spending On IT, Not New IT Hires</a>. ] 2. Revenue -- Not Cost -- Will Drive IT Decisions <a href="http://www.techaisle.com">Techaisle</a> CEO Anurag Agrawal said that the seismic shift in how SMBs acquire technology -- thanks to cloud, mobile, and other categories -- has encouraged firms to more clearly connect those investments to business initiatives instead of fretting solely about budgets. "Now that we are moving quickly away from capital budgets, revenue has become the focus rather than tight cost control," Agrawal said via email. "Enabling rapid growth is one of the keys to technology investment for SMBs." That corresponds with a growing influence on IT spending from other areas of the business, such as sales and marketing departments. As a result, Agrawal predicts SMBs will invest more in CRM, marketing automation, business intelligence, and other revenue-centric platforms in the coming year. "For IT purchasing, the CMO will be as important as the CIO over the next five years," Agrawal said. Confidence: High 3. The Rise of Hybrid IT Roles With more SMB IT pros <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/how-the-uso-makes-most-of-cloud/240144222">getting out of on-site infrastructure</a> support and other legacy roles, they'll be able to elevate their profile elsewhere in the business. In smaller, more agile organizations, expect <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/50to249/hybrid-cios-the-future-of-smb-it/240000558">hybrid IT roles</a> -- those professionals fluent in the language of both IT and marketing, for example -- to become more visible. It's not a particularly large leap, given how many SMB professionals already fill multiple job functions beyond their actual job title. McCabe of the SMB Group expects that interdisciplinary approach to be especially evident in spending and strategy decisions. "IT may be just as influential in the decision-making process, but the business people really get it," McCabe said. "They may sometimes be leading the charge." Confidence: Medium 4. Office 365 Goes Legit You're not stepping too far out on the ledge if you predict SMB cloud usage will continue to grow. But Techaisle's Agrawal made a specific cloud call that requires a bit more gumption: 2013 is the year that Office 365, the online version of Microsoft's popular productivity software, goes mainstream. He points to increasing bandwidth speeds, reliability, and mobility as several macro reasons why. According to Techaisle research, 10% of small businesses (under 100 employees) are "actively investigating adoption" of Office 365. "10% may not seem a lot, but that is enough to cross the chasm," Agrawal said. "Many young entrepreneurs are used to Google Docs, and in the new age of collaboration, moving to an Office 365 environment is logical." Microsoft's going to do its part to make this one come true. It recently launched a <a href="http://blogs.technet.com/b/whymicrosoft/archive/2012/12/17/great-time-for-small-businesses-to-try-office-365.aspx">90-day free trial</a> of Office 365's small business tier for companies with up to 10 users. The offer followed quickly on the heels of Google's announcement that it will <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">no longer offer</a> the free version of Google Apps, Office 365's biggest cloud competitor. This one depends largely on how you define mainstream. If you agree with Agrawal that 10% is a significant number, then the prediction seems plausible in 2013. If you raise the bar much higher -- say, to the point where SMBs are just as likely to use Office 365 as they are to have traditional Office licenses -- it seems like a much longer-term bet. Confidence: Low 5. BYOD Is SOP Bring-your-own-device is already well on its way to becoming standard operating procedure in many SMBs, and 2013 will cement it as the default setting. "BYOD is a given," Agrawal said. But it won't be a free-for-all. More companies will turn to a mix of technology and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">policy</a> to bring order to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-key-byo-skills-for-smb-it-pros/240144416">the BYO environment</a>. "SMBs will adopt mobile device management solutions in record number," said <a href="http://www.analysysmason.com">Analysys Mason</a> analyst Patrick Rusby via email. The firm projects more than $189 million in cloud-based MDM spending in 2013, Rusby said, "as SMBs find it more difficult to manage and secure the plethora of mobile devices across their organizations." Confidence: High 6. Say Hello To Server-less SMBs SMBs have been shedding servers for a while now as cloud and virtualization usage has skyrocketed. As those technologies move from "trend" to "normal," I suspect we'll see a growing number of SMBs that abandon the server closet altogether. In the case of well-established companies with lots of legacy systems, it may be more likely a drastic reduction -- from 50 servers to 5, for example -- rather than complete elimination. But a growing number of new businesses and branch offices will operate with no on-premises servers at all -- further freeing up IT pros to pursue those <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/how-virtualization-increased-its-value-a/232901246">more strategic</a>, hybrid roles mentioned above. "The SMB server and network will become less visible as they progressively move offsite physically and from a remote management perspective," Agrawal said. Confidence: High 7. SMBs Get Social Fatigue My inbox is stuffed with end-of-year predictions about social business. The general theme: 2013 is the year SMBs "get serious about social." I'll offer an alternative view: 2013 will be the year that a growing segment of SMBs experience social fatigue. That's not to say that companies will suddenly start deleting their Facebook Pages and Twitter feeds en masse. They'll continue to maintain a basic social presence because they feel they must, but they'll grow tired of staying current in a constantly changing social landscape. They'll become especially frustrated with their inability to quantify the bottom-line impact. (The low confidence rating below is more a recognition that this prediction itself will be difficult to measure.) In effect, these SMBs will simply be going through the motions. "SMBs will continue to struggle to determine ROI from their social media initiatives and its usage will be considered a productivity drainer for already lean-staffed SMBs," Agrawal said. "Aggressive SMB adopters will realize benefits but many others will be disillusioned unless advised, encouraged, and shown a path by early adopters." Confidence: Low Tech spending is looking up, but IT must focus more on customers and less on internal systems. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/121012/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Outlook 2013</a> issue of InformationWeek: Five painless rules for encryption. (Free registration required.)2012-12-17T12:46:00Z8 Modest Proposals For Reducing EmailWant to trim corporate email inboxes? Consider these unorthodox ideas.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/8-modest-proposals-for-reducing-email/240144547?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-free-open-source-technologies-for-lean/240144347"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/927/Intro_tn.jpg" alt="9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs" title="9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>If we really want to cut down the volume of email in our inboxes, we need to be saved from ourselves. I agree with InformationWeek's Jonathan Feldman: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-less-email/240144227">The email onslaught</a> is as fierce as ever and we have only ourselves to blame. I'm just not sure willpower is going to cut it as a solution, for the same reason that most of us will have forgotten our New Year's resolutions by the time Valentine's Day rolls around: We have none. We can't help it. Email is easy. Email is "free" -- perhaps not for IT budget makers, but certainly in the sense that anyone with Internet access can get a no-cost account with a nice heap of storage in about two minutes. Worst of all: Email makes us feel like we're Getting Things Done. It's why we send email at night and on weekends: Look at me, I'm Getting Things Done. It conveys a quantifiable sense of importance in the great corporate scheme of things. It's why we brag about how many hundreds or thousands of messages were waiting in our inbox when we return from vacation: Look at how much I was missed. It's a minor miracle this place is still standing. [ Skype's collaboration tool for SMBs offers many benefits. Read more at <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a>. ] If we really want to thin out our inboxes, more severe actions are required. We could go "scorched-earth" and <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8921033/Staff-to-be-banned-from-sending-emails.html">ban internal email altogether</a>. But let's be pragmatic, not drastic. For your consideration: Eight <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1080">modest proposals</a> for reducing the use, misuse, and downright abuse of email inside businesses and other organizations. 1. Get rid of group emails. Lose the distribution lists, departmental aliases, and company-wide email broadcasts. Make email a one-to-one medium. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_private_platforms/240143911/7-strategies-to-meld-social-with-business-process">Use social networks</a>, collaboration platforms, or good old-fashioned intranets for mass communications. If your message must be heard by the masses, Ms. Bigshot, send it individually and let the viral plague of replies -- most of them redundant or pointless -- invade your inbox and yours alone. Better yet, hack the cc: line and "Reply All" button right on out of the interface. Remember our mantra: Save us from ourselves. 2. Slash the supply. Reduce wasteful email by making it a valuable commodity, like oil or gold. Limit employees to a certain number of emails per week -- 15, for example, or 20 if you're feeling generous. Perhaps Jeff from accounting will think twice before sends that message asking everyone in the department to buy his daughter's Girl Scout cookies. Make email an employee benefit, like paid gym memberships. Need more than 15 emails a week to do your job well? Better negotiate that alongside your salary and other compensation, Mr. Rainmaker. 3. Eliminate the excuses. We make much of the massive benefits of mobility. But these devices are a collective pox on our inboxes, adding an incalculable multiplier to the messages we send and receive. And we add insult to this injury with our mobile signatures, those of the "Sent from my iPhone -- please excuse typos" variety. It's time to take a stand: We will not excuse your sloppiness as inevitable. The Grammar Police will judge harshly those 27 emails you fired off just before your plane pulled back from the gate. Think twice before hitting Send. 4. Get up off your tookus. If you sit two desks over from someone, get up and speak to them in person. Give the finger-tapping a rest. Get up, stretch those legs. Most of us could stand to shed a few pounds. (See also: Willpower.) Communicate the necessary information in an actual human conversation. Ban email between any employees who work on the same floor. Achieve further results by adding floors -- or the entire building -- at your discretion. 5. Please, no more manners. Stop being so darned polite. Consider how many emails we'd prevent if we deleted every "thank you" or "you're welcome" or "no problem" from the digital lexicon. The thank-you economy is in hyperinflation mode. By all means, be good to people -- but for the sake of the inbox, do it offline. Even the golden rule applies: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Stop sending so many pleasantries to coworkers; they'll stop doing the same. 6. Cc: the CEO. Indeed, a fundamental problem is the ease with which we can send email. My almost-three-year-old can send one. (It might not make much sense, but then, neither do many of the messages we receive from grown adults.) Let's raise the bar: Automatically copy the CEO on every message. She might not like it at first -- but surely she has an assistant and others who can help. Put the pressure of executive power on every email, and suddenly it doesn't seem so easy. 7. Embrace the email perp wall. Convenience stores post bad checks and Polaroid mugshots of shoplifters behind the cash register. Law enforcement officials make the bad guy do a perp walk past the prying eyes of news cameras and onlookers. So too should email offenders feel the brunt of public judgment. You know the ones: They confuse the corporate email server as their own inner sanctum. Or as their <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/240144443/facebooks-new-privacy-policies-the-good-news">Facebook account</a>, in the parlance of our times. (Example: I once worked at a startup where an employee -- who worked in HR, no less -- sent an all-staff email asking for advice on getting permanent marker out of a dog's fur.) Create a Wall of Shame for wasteful (or downright awful) emails. Put it in the lunchroom or next to the water cooler. If your company is spread across multiple floors, post them in the elevator. Share them on social networks and in staff meetings. Can you believe this email Steve sent? Public embarrassment is a great behavioral modifier. 8. Meter email usage. The fastest, most bankable means of cutting down on email? Charge by the message. If wireless and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/will-broadband-internet-metering-hurt-sm/240004335">broadband providers can do it</a>, so can IT. How does $0.25 sound? We could round up to $1 to simplify the math. Better yet, charge a flat percentage of an employee's base salary every time they hit Send. What a great way for cash-strapped IT departments to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">stretch their budget</a>. Or get the accountants and lawyers involved -- make it a pretax payroll deduction and donate the proceeds to a deserving charity. An interesting exercise: Calculate what your Sent folder would cost you in a given day, week, or month. How many of those emails were worth the money? Attend Interop Las Vegas May 6-10, and be the first to create an action plan to incorporate the latest transformative technologies into your IT infrastructure. Use Priority Code DIPR01 by Jan. 13 to save up to $800 with Super Early Bird Savings. Join us in Las Vegas for access to 125+ workshops and conference classes, 350+ exhibiting companies and the latest technology solutions. Register for <a href="http://www.interop.com/lasvegas/?_mc=DIPR01">Interop</a> today!2012-12-17T09:06:00ZRansomware, Social Scams Lead 2013 SMB Security FearsExpect the bad guys to spend more time pursuing small and midsize business (SMB) targets on mobile, cloud, and social platforms, Symantec says.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/ransomware-social-scams-lead-2013-smb-se/240143019?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-8-big-benefits-for-smbs/240142263"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/907/01_windows8pro_tn.jpg" alt="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" title="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>The greater the changes in security threats, the more determined businesses should be to stick with best practices to defend themselves. That's the general takeaway from the security researchers at Symantec, who believe attackers will find new and better ways to reap profits from mobile, cloud, and social usage in 2013. But although threats such as more "professional" <a href="http://www.darkreading.com/insider-threat/167801100/security/attacks-breaches/232300884/attackers-pose-as-police-in-new-ransomware-campaign.html">ransomware</a> might evolve, the advice on how to combat them should sound familiar. The right mix of security technologies, backup and recovery processes, and employee awareness will help keep the risks, new and old, in check for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). "I don't think any of those steps are new," said Kevin Haley, director of Symantec Security Response, in an interview. Still, it's a good time of year for an update on what SMBs should be watching for. With ransomware, Haley predicts criminals will become more sophisticated in their attack methods, more vicious and emotional in their threats, and greedier in their demands. Whereas the fake antivirus scareware of the past might try to fool users into giving up credit card numbers or other information, its ransomware descendants are more likely to openly threaten the user to extort payment. "We're going to see that kind of harder attitude [of] 'I don't care if I fool you or not, I'm holding you hostage and you're going to pay up,'" Haley said. [ Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/fake-antivirus-ringleader-must-pay-163-m/240008388?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Fake Antivirus Ringleader Must Pay $163 Million</a>. ] Threats of this nature <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/massive-fake-av-attack-launched/227100044">aren't new</a>, but they're expected to grow fiercer. One key reason: It's easier than ever for the criminal to collect the extorted funds, by using prepaid cards or electronic money services such as MoneyPak in the U.S. or Ukash in Europe. Credit cards are too easy for victims to cancel, and other tools such as premium text messaging proved to be inefficient collection methods for attackers, according to Haley. Prepaid cards and online payments, on the other hand, provide "an easy way for [criminals] to get the money and prosper, unfortunately, and to come up with creative ways to rip us off," Haley said. Haley thinks ransomware will appear increasingly polished on affected users' PCs -- which will make it more difficult for the typical employee to identify it as a scam. The threats themselves will also progress. The classic ransomware pitch is to impersonate a law enforcement agency and claim the user has illegal material on his machine, and order him to pay a fine or face imprisonment. A newer instance, according to Haley, involved the attacker pretending to be with the hacktivist group <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/who-is-anonymous-10-key-facts/232600322">Anonymous</a> group and threatening online ruin unless the users paid up. For SMBs, such attacks might also take the form of taking control of databases or applications and demanding payment for their release. "[Ransomware attacks] are going to do things to keep people scared [and] off-balance, so that they don't think clearly and are willing to pay that ransom to get it off that machine," Haley said. His advice if you're affected: Don't pay. "They're not really going to unlock your system," Haley said. "Once they've got your money, why do they care?" A company might still face a productivity problem while IT fixes affected systems, but calling the extortionist's bluffs at least prevents an added financial loss. Symantec also predicts a new wave of malware and social engineering delivered via social networks. As sites such as Facebook and Twitter continue their hunt for revenue streams, attackers will follow the money. Expect employees who use applications such as <ahref="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/facebook-gifts-tests-social-commerce-jit/240008106">Facebook Gifts</a>, for example, to be hit with a rising number of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/facebook-gift-scams-how-they-work/240142403">scams</a> that attempt to lift personal data, payment information or corporate credentials. Such attacks might also simply be designed to deliver malware to the user's machine and network, with similar bottom-line goals.Security vendors such as Symantec and its competitors will pay increasing attention to socially borne threats in hopes of preventing them from reaching end users, Haley said. But that won't eliminate the problem altogether. Such threats exist because they eventually succeed -- there's a sucker born every minute, as the saying goes. Employee education and awareness can help minimize the chance that the sucker works in your office. Haley said criminal attempts to cash in on social network monetization will take familiar forms, such as too-good-to-be-true offers via Web or email. Facebook posts or Twitter messages of the "look at what this girl did on camera" variety should set off alarm bells that something's amiss. "My friends don't share those videos, so if I see that on their wall I'm not clicking on it because I know they didn't post it," Haley said. "Just using some common sense is going to protect you in a lot of cases." On a less malicious -- but no less annoying -- front, Haley suspects 2013 will bring a new trove of "madware" to smartphones and tablets. Not to be confused with malware, madware is an invasive, aggressive form of app-delivered advertising, the mobile descendant of adware spam on laptops and desktops. Much as adware was delivered as part of seemingly safe downloads such as a free screensaver, madware comes embedded in mobile apps. Madware typically delivers pop-up alerts, adds icons to the device's screens, or modifies settings. "As [SMBs] adopt BYOD and they're using phones for work as well as pleasure, you've got a distraction and loss of productivity dealing with the nonsense of these [madware] applications," Haley said. His advice: Know your apps before you download them. Just because it made it past the app store gatekeepers doesn't guarantee it's safe. In the bigger picture, Haley believes "cyber conflict" will become standard practice around the world. These are the types of national or organizational attacks that cause damage, financial or otherwise, for a wide range of political, military, financial, criminal, or other motives. Look no further than the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/cybercrime/gaza-ceasefire-doesnt-hold-online-new-an/240142974">online spillover</a> from recent fighting in the Gaza Strip. In 2013, Haley suspects more individuals and groups will instigate such attacks simply to rattle a perceived opponent -- the modern equivalent of firing a warning shot across the bow of a ship. That doesn't mean SMBs will suddenly be under siege from state-sponsored hacks or hacktivist attacks. But they could become susceptible if they're seen as a back-door entrance to a larger target. Examples might include a SMB in the supply chain of a much larger enterprise, or one with significant government contracts. An interesting note on which to close: Symantec also predicted that cloud outages will significantly increase in 2013, saying things will "get worse before they get better." At first blush, this might sound like some saber-rattling of Symantec's own. The firm made its name with traditional on-premises software. But Symantec has its own stake in the cloud game now, such as Symantec.cloud and Backup Exec.cloud. Haley said the prognostication isn't a doom-and-gloom warning but a recognition that, although cloud applications might already seem business-as-usual to many users, the platforms are still relatively young. "It's an inevitable kind of growing process of the industry," Haley said. For the 16th consecutive year, InformationWeek is conducting its U.S. IT Salary Survey. To date, more than 200,000 IT professionals have participated in this survey. Take our <a href="http://informationweek.2013ITSalarySurvey.sgizmo.com/s3/?iwid=pl">InformationWeek 2013 U.S. IT Salary Survey</a> now, and be eligible to win some great prizes. Survey ends Jan. 18. 2012-12-14T11:01:00Z9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBsStretch your IT budget with open source and free products and services. Added win: Open source tools' opportunity for customization.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_AuthorsVeteran IT pro Trevor Thorpe currently plies his trade as network and systems administrator at <a href="http://www.drakerenergy.com/">Draker</a>, a solar energy firm, where he supports around 100 end users. Thorpe regularly turns to open source and free technologies to get the job done there -- as he did at previous career stops, too. Stretching the budget -- standard operating procedure at many small and midsize businesses (SMBs) -- is one obvious reason Thorpe does so. But he turns to open source and free tools even when cost is less of an issue, such as at the 300-person firm where he worked prior to joining Draker. After all, you won't often anger the bosses by telling them you came in under budget on an IT project. "Why spend the money if you don't need to, even if you have the money?" Thorpe said in an interview. Some form of cost-benefit analysis, formal or ad-hoc, is usually required. A free version that does 80% of what its paid counterpart does might be good enough in some scenarios. "Like everything, you've got to weigh it [against your other options]," Thorpe advised. Money isn't the only consideration. Open-source platforms enable skilled do-it-yourself types to tinker and tweak away. "You're not locked into canned software," Thorpe said. "Most of the open-source stuff you can go in and modify yourself. You can configure it, you can integrate it a little bit easier with other things, you can script and program against it to do stuff it may not have been intended to do initially. You can get your hands in there. Whereas when you buy software, you get what you get." "Free" usually sounds good to just about everyone. Open source, however, isn't always for the faint of heart. It typically requires a certain amount of in-house technical skills to do right, Thorpe noted. "You need talented staff for configuration, and really good troubleshooters and problem solvers," he said. "There's not a pick-up-the-phone option [for help]. You have to dig in and fix it yourself." Indeed, support is usually light or nonexistent, unless you're willing and able to buy premium support, a common open-source revenue stream. On the plus side, Thorpe notes that the open-source community is a large and collaborative one. That means help and advice is often available online. Users can be finicky about open-source software, too, particularly if it's going to replace something they're already familiar with. "People resist change," Thorpe said. "It's just like dropping a Mac in front of somebody who's been using Windows, or a Windows box in front of someone who's been using a Mac. You can do the same things, it's just a matter of how you get to do it." Thorpe's advice to fellow IT pros that are relatively inexperienced with open-source technologies: Read. He recommends reading reviews, forums and similar sources of admin and user feedback before choosing tools. Moreover, he recommends reading documentation thoroughly before beginning an installation. And be patient: Some platforms might take a while to learn. "It can be overwhelming at first," Thorpe said. "It's not necessarily a five-minute config. They're challenging at times. I would tell someone not to expect this to be the easiest thing they've done in the last week or two." It's also worth noting that "free" doesn't always mean "open source." You can download and run VMware's vSphere Hypervisor at no cost, for example, but don't expect the keys to the source code. Nor does open source always mean "free" -- such platforms often charge for support or feature upgrades. Others phase out their free versions once you hit certain user or technical milestones. Got the open source bug? Need a free tool to help squeeze more out of a tight budget? Read on for nine technologies that Thorpe has deployed with positive results in corporate environments.Any discussion of open source probably needs to start with Linux. The open source operating system provides an alternative choice for desktops, laptops and servers. The Windows/Mac/Linux debate doesn't have to be an all-or-none proposition, either. Thorpe runs both Windows and Linux in his current environment, not an uncommon scenario. The latter OS offers at least one clear advantage: "No licensing fees needed," Thorpe said. RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a>Thorpe's a fan of <a href="http://www.nagios.org/">Nagios' open-source IT monitoring</a> platform for keeping tabs on what's happening on the network. "It's a great network and service monitoring system that allows avenues to monitor items that are not native with the application itself," he said. "You can monitor pretty much anything you want, and simply pass results to Nagios and have it react accordingly." Thorpe further recommended enhancing Nagios with other "puzzle pieces," including <a href="http://oss.oetiker.ch/smokeping/">SmokePing</a>, <a href="http://www.cacti.net/">Cacti</a> and <a href="http://www.netdisco.org/">NetDisco</a>, for "a very comprehensive network monitoring solution." RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a> <a href="http://backuppc.com/download-backuppc.php">BackupPC</a> does exactly what it sounds like --- it backs up PCs. In this case, the open-source tool will back up multiple Windows or Linux-based workstations to disk on a server. Deduplication cuts down on storage space and bandwidth needs. "Easy to configure and quick to setup and get started for many of the most common backup needs," Thorpe said. RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a>VMware's <a href="http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere-hypervisor/overview.html">vSphere Hypervisor</a> is its starter kit for SMBs and others taking the virtualization plunge for the first time -- ostensibly to get them hooked on the platform as their needs grow. It's not open source, but it's free. "[It allows] plenty of flexibility and usability," Thorpe said. "We are running 20-plus virtual servers on a couple of ESXi physical hosts at the moment. Licensing fees only apply to my subset of Active Directory servers." RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a>Thorpe's been using <a href="http://bestpractical.com/rt/">Request Tracker</a> for a decade or so. The open source tool's an obvious fit for functions like bug tracking or support ticketing, though it can also be deployed in areas such as change management and external customer care. RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a> Thorpe likes the free IT management application offered by <a href="http://www.spiceworks.com/">Spiceworks</a> for things such as tracking IT inventory. (Note: It is not open source.) But he finds the most value in the community of SMB IT professionals that participate in its forums. "I don't have to sign to up to 10 different forums to go searching for an answer to an issue I'm bumping into," Thorpe said. "I can post it to one area, and I get experts from all over." RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a> <a href="http://www.alfresco.com/">Alfresco's</a> content management software is relatively new for Thorpe, but he likes what he sees so far. The open source platform is available both in the cloud and on-premises behind a network firewall -- or both. It's mobile-minded UI looks good on tablets and smartphones, too, as well as PCs. Note that the free version only covers 10 GB of stored data. RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a> The <a href="http://openoffice.apache.org/">OpenOffice</a> productivity suite offers a free alternative to Microsoft Office or other commercial productivity suites. It supports the usual suspects: Documents, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and so forth. Draker uses OpenOffice in its Austin, Texas, branch -- but Microsoft Office in its Burlington, Vt., headquarters. Thorpe noted it can be wise to consider individual or departmental use cases when deciding what to install on employee machines. It might reduce headaches and grumbling to give Microsoft Excel to hardcore spreadsheet jockeys, for instance, while reserving OpenOffice for less intensive users. "[Doing so] works better for everyone all around," he said. RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a> <a href="http://www.asterisk.org">Asterisk</a> is open source software for running a PBX phone system and other communications tools. Thorpe said it had "all the bells and whistles" necessary to power his previous employer's phone system, which was used by 300 people across six offices. "I still buy the phones and servers but there's no licensing on an annual basis," Thorpe said. "There's also nobody to call if you run into a problem, but we can manage that ourselves." RECOMMENDED READING <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/virtualization/red-hat-speeds-up-open-source-virtualiza/240144200">Red Hat Speeds Up Open Source Virtualization Race</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/google-apps-no-longer-free-for-businesse/240144076">Google Apps No Longer Free For Businesses</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/is-open-source-hardware-its-next-big-thi/240000260">Is Open Source Hardware IT's Next Big Thing? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch? </a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warrriors</a>2012-12-14T09:25:00Z6 Key BYO Skills For SMB IT ProsThe bring-your-own era will change the skill set required to manage SMB IT environments. Here are the roles you'll need to embrace to survive.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-key-byo-skills-for-smb-it-pros/240144416?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-8-big-benefits-for-smbs/240142263"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/907/01_windows8pro_tn.jpg" alt="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" title="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>Here's a sign your IT skills might not be up to snuff in the bring-your-own-everything era: You say "no" a lot. "We've seen this happen [in IT] throughout the years: The first response is always 'no' or 'you can't,'" said Matt Kaplan, VP of products at <a href="https://secure.logmein.com/">LogMeIn</a>, in an interview. "[IT] didn't want anyone to use the Internet in the early days at work, because it wasn't secure or maybe wasn't productive." Yet IT professionals seem well aware the BYO paradigm requires change. In a recent survey, 89% of IT decision makers and influencers working at small and midsize businesses (SMBs) said that a bring-your-own-application (BYOA) environment would force them to update their current skill set. The poll included more than 1,200 IT pros. Digging into their comments underscores what is beginning to seem obvious: By any acronym, BYO inspires a wide range of opinions -- from glowing to loathing -- on employees bringing their own devices and applications to work. But there appears to be one viewpoint moving toward consensus: Like it or not, BYO is rewriting the job description for many modern IT pros. [ What do you think? <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/does-byod-make-sense-for-smbs/240007616"itc=edit_in_body_cross">Does BYOD Make Sense For SMBs?</a> ] Let's take a look six new roles and responsibilities you might need to shoulder to be successful in an BYO environment. 1. Become A Facilitator. Once upon a time, IT was the technology source in corporate environments -- not only for the various tools employees used to do their jobs, but for all of the information about those tools, too. No more: BYO environments require IT pros to be facilitators more than gatekeepers. "You're not necessarily the smartest person in the room anymore when it comes to applications people are using," Kaplan said. Facilitation requires getting out of the server closet and into the day-to-day business. A reluctance or flat-out refusal to do so might put you on the fast track to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/6-ways-it-still-fails-the-business/240144288">failure</a>. "It's really important from a skills perspective to learn how to interact with individuals in the company, [learn] what applications they're using and how effective they are, and be able to facilitate sharing that information across the company," Kaplan said. 2. Get Out Of The Help Desk Business. An upside of BYO -- one noted by a number of LogMeIn's survey respondents -- is the chance to shift out of a support-heavy role into a more strategic one. "IT will need to foster a decentralized support infrastructure where employees are actually helping each other because they have the best knowledge about their applications -- more knowledge than even the IT pros," Kaplan said. That's equal parts pragmatism and career strategy. There will be too many devices and apps to reasonably support, particularly with a small staff. And spending less time with troubleshooting and maintenance will free you up to add technology value elsewhere in the business. 3. Become An App Guru. So maybe you're not guaranteed to be the smartest person in the room anymore when it comes to technology, but that doesn't mean you can't try. A skill that will help IT pros stand out in the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/how-the-uso-makes-most-of-cloud/240144222">cloud</a> and mobile age is simply to be well-versed in what's out there -- what works well, what doesn't, and everything in between. That's a change from the days when an office might rely on a relatively small set of core applications and tools issued by the company and nothing else. Sure, everyone's heard of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/ibm-bans-dropbox-should-smbs-follow-suit/240001032">Dropbox</a>, but familiarity with a wider spectrum of applications across devices will help you reassert IT's role as an invaluable subject matter expert rather than a nagging naysayer. If it seems a bit overwhelming given the sheer volume involved, start with categories that you know are indispensable for your business users. "Becoming an app guru is a challenge because there are so many different devices and so many different applications," Kaplan said. "But being in tune with the best productivity apps, as an example, would be a place to start. If IT can identify those applications that people are most likely to use in their environments, I think that's a very good first step." 4. Manage Identities Rather Than Devices Or Apps. Kaplan believes that IT pros long accustomed to managing hardware and software will need to think in terms of managing identities in BYO environments. Among other reasons, there are simply too many devices and apps to feasibly keep tabs on. That task can become saner -- and theoretically more secure -- if each employee is assigned a single digital identity for accessing anything and everything he uses for work. "What we see is the need to manage identity across devices and applications, and there are a number of companies out there creating [identity management] applications -- sort of like the next generation of Active Directory -- for the BYO and cloud-based era," Kaplan said. "It's the ability to control and manage the identity of the user, and make sure that I as an employee am keeping the identity secure." 5. Consider Multiple Meanings Of "Monitoring." Traditional network and systems monitoring isn't likely to go away. In fact, it might be even be more critical in the BYO age. But IT pros from the CIO on down might need to begin considering new meanings of the word "monitoring." In particular, Kaplan advised "business-based monitoring," or keeping track of application usage from productivity and ROI standpoints, even when employees provision the tools themselves. That's all the more critical if the company reimburses those employee costs via expense reports or other means. "Monitoring is going to change from just classic monitoring of usage to 'hey, is this really providing an ROI for our business?'" Kaplan said. "I don't think anyone has really cracked the code on that yet." 6. Don't Worry, You Can Still Say "No." If you love saying "no" to users, all is not lost. You still get to do so. Strategic BYO isn't a catch-all anarchy. It requires <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">strong policy</a>, education and enforcement. When you say no, let policy do the heavy lifting. It sounds straightforward, yet policy is one of those bureaucratic tools that's all too easy to ignore or put off. You can still prohibit employee use of certain devices or applications; you can even govern how they use approved technologies. Just use strong policy and training to do so rather than barking from behind the help desk. Storing and protecting data are critical components of any successful cloud solution. Join our webcast, Cloud Storage Drivers: Auto-provisioning, Virtualization, Encryption, to stay ahead of the curve on automated and self-service storage, enterprise class data protection and service level management. <a href="https://www.techwebonlineevents.com/ars/eventregistration.do?mode=eventreg&F=1005242&K=STOEAIBM">Watch now or bookmark for later</a>.2012-12-11T13:42:00ZHow The USO Makes Most Of CloudIT strategy behind the USO's mission to support American troops worldwide includes carefully-built business cases for cloud projects.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/how-the-uso-makes-most-of-cloud/240144222?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/infrastructure/7-cheap-cloud-storage-options/240134947"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/905/01_Cloud_tn.jpg" alt="7 Cheap Cloud Storage Options" title="7 Cheap Cloud Storage Options" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">7 Cheap Cloud Storage Options</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div> Two questions drive just about every IT decision at the USO, according to VP of IT Craig Opel. Number one: "Are we meeting our customers' expectations?" And number two: "Are we using our donors' dollars wisely?" Remove the word "donors" -- <a href="http://www.uso.org">the USO</a> is a nonprofit that generates much of its <a href="http://www.uso.org/annual-report/">$350 million annual revenue</a> from contributions -- and those questions serve as solid IT signposts for just about every small and midsize business (SMB). Opel's and his team's answers all point in the same general direction in 2013 and beyond: the cloud. "Those two questions drive our investment strategy when it comes to moving to the cloud," Opel said in an interview. "That's the foundation upon which our strategy has been built." The USO's customers aren't Joe and Jane Consumer or other businesses. The organization provides assistance programs, entertainment, and other services to U.S. military personnel and their families, maintaining more than 160 locations in 14 different countries. The far-flung nature of USO employees and customers alike is one driving force behind IT's cloud strategy. [ Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/anatomy-of-an-all-cloud-smb/232602694?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Anatomy Of An All-Cloud SMB</a>. ] For some companies, a cloud initiative might be best summed up as: "Let's hope for the best." For the USO, it's a methodical, multi-year approach that aims to "build a bridge to the cloud" -- the USO's IT theme for 2013 -- by constructing a rock-solid business case each step of the way. First up in the new year: the USO just awarded a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/byod-why-mobile-device-management-isnt-e/240142450">mobile device management (MDM)</a> contract to <a href="http://www.air-watch.com/">AirWatch</a> in order to stay on top of the glut of iPads, iPhones, Androids and other devices its 400 employees use every day. Opel said the MDM deployment will take one month because it will be delivered online -- instead of six months-plus of IT globetrotting to do installations at each of the USO's sites. If successful, it will become the next pillar in the bridge to a technology environment that exists largely online. That bridge began in the USO's HR and corporate training departments, the organization's earliest cloud adopters. The human resources information system (HRIS), volunteer management system, and employee training are all already online, and with overwhelmingly positive results, according the Dr. Angela L. Kegler, the USO's corporate training manager. Kegler said the HR department achieved a 312% return on investment just six months after moving "USO University" -- the organization's employee on-boarding and training program -- online with <a href="http://www.skillsoft.com">Skillsoft</a>. That helped make the case for the MDM budget, which in turn will lay the foundation for the next investment, provided results are similarly positive. "This is a year of creating the analytical base -- that's why we call it a bridge," Opel said. "Building those cases out over the course of this year, we will use those as the foundation on which to get budget approval to execute in a lot of different areas." Opel expects the USO's cloud transition to continue with "the low-hanging fruit" in 2013, pointing to the group's on-premises Microsoft Office licenses and Exchange email server as exhibits A and B. A move to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/office-365-5-factors-that-swayed-one-ent/231000718">Office 365</a> beginning in late 2013 is a likely next step, Opel said. Once it has a solid string of successes behind it, the USO will consider making bigger bets in mission-critical areas such as its Microsoft Dynamics-based CRM and financial systems. "Those are the family jewels, so to speak," Opel said. "We want to build some experience, build some successes, take advantage of the low-hanging fruit, and then start to move into some of the more critical systems." The ROI case is of course rooted in dollars and cents. Part of the USO's cloud shift is based on the basic thesis that moving online will ultimately save the organization money. But it doesn't end there. Beyond the bottom line, the USO expects the cloud to deliver performance upgrades and other improvements to the services it provides. Opel said IT relies heavily on "proxy metrics," such as analytics drawn from the "Tell USO" surveys of its large, external user base. That community included roughly 2 million military personnel and their family members that used USO technology services in the past year, according to Opel. Some of the challenges the USO faces as its cloud strategy unfolds are typical among SMBs undergoing <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/jordache-redesigns-it-around-cloud-googl/240005266">similar transitions</a>. It will likely require retraining or new skill sets among the IT team, for example. One thing the cloud will not do, however, is hurt hiring; in fact, the USO's 12-person IT staff team will grow to 16 by the end of 2013. Some obstacles are relatively unique to the USO's mission. A key one will be <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-bandwidth-management-tips-for-smbs/240004581">bandwidth</a> -- Opel's team can't take reliable high-speed internet access for granted in some of the locations it supports. "What we can offer to our service members at Landstuhl [Regional Medical Center] or Ramstein Air Force Base would certainly be more robust than what we can offer our nine centers inside Afghanistan that only have satellite connectivity and limited bandwidth," Opel said. "Dealing with the fundamental technologies is one thing we have to overcome." <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Security</a> is top of mind, too, in part because USO employees handle personal information for active-duty service members. But security is less of a roadblock and more of an organizational mindset. Opel credits that to the USO's leadership and its recognition of IT as a strategic force rather than mere service provider. HR and training, the initial building block for the USO's cloud bridge, plays a key role here, too; employees receive significant training on the handling of customer information and other sensitive data. "The cloud's for everybody but not for everything," Opel said. "We're just making sure we do it right and don't jeopardize that very personal, critical data of our constituents." Join Cloud Connect for a free webcast with "Cloudonomics" author Joe Weinman. Cloudonomics is a new way to discuss the benefits of private clouds. Many have focused on the cost reduction possibilities while others have focused on business agility. However, private clouds can play a strategic role, as well. The <a href="http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=543922&s=1&k=03050B993D09D35972131EDAF5030AD5&partnerref=jdpl">Cloudonomics</a> webcast happens Dec. 12. (Free registration required.) 2012-12-06T15:02:00Z4 Smartphone Upgrade Pitfalls For SMBsIt's smartphone upgrade time, and my Android is falling apart right on cue. Here are some mistakes I'm hoping to avoid when choosing my next device.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/4-smartphone-upgrade-pitfalls-for-smbs/240143986?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-8-big-benefits-for-smbs/240142263"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/907/01_windows8pro_tn.jpg" alt="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" title="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div> I can see light at the end of my wireless contract tunnel. My two-year agreement with Verizon comes up next March. That means I recently entered that end-of-contract phase when Verizon will gladly sell me a heavily discounted phone now to lock up my business until 2015. I would have paid $649.99 for an iPhone 5 just last week. Today, Verizon would foot all but $199.99 of the bill. The reason, of course, is simple: the discount requires a new two-year contract. And if I sign one now, it eliminates the chance that I'll move to a different provider in a few months. I'm not in a huge hurry. Along with my laptop, my smartphone is easily the business tool I rely on most from a hardware perspective. The wrong choice would be a daily problem. This is also one of the rare times when I have a least a hint of leverage with wireless providers. The longer I wait, the more choices I'll have -- which is about as much leverage as SMBs get when buying business technology at retail. Though my current Droid X might be unfashionable, it still gets the job done. I'm stuck with 3G, but that hasn't been a pressing business problem. It's fine for most of my common use cases: voice, email, social media, and mobile Web browsing. Would I like a faster phone? Sure, but there's no urgent need for speed. [ For more advice on choosing a smartphone, see <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/low-smartphone-prices-hide-expensive-tra/240049858?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Low Smartphone Prices Hide Expensive Tradeoffs</a>. ] Fashion aside, however, my phone is showing predictable signs of wear and tear on a device that's approaching two years of regular use <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/10-essential-android-apps-for-work-home/240142920">at work and home</a>. The battery's shot. The touchscreen seems to be losing some responsiveness. In general, it's got that graybeard look-and-feel that all hardware tends to accrue as it approaches retirement age. An upgrade, sooner or later, seems inevitable. When I do take the plunge, here are four pitfalls I'm hoping to avoid. 1. Ending Up With A Device I Don't Like. It might sound obvious, but it's true: It would be bad to end up with a phone that's difficult to use, unreliable, or just plain unlikable. After all, you'll either be on a new contract -- and two years away from the next steep hardware discount -- or you'll have spent a chunk of change on an unlocked device. Even the relatively reasonable Nexus 4 from Google would be a difficult expenditure to walk away from unless you've got cash to burn. (My one-person business does not.) This scenario is avoidable, of course -- it just requires some due diligence before making a decision. 2. Paying Too Much. Hardware, voice, and data cost plenty as is -- overpaying is just a flat-out waste. (And there aren't too many SMB success stories rooted in wasteful spending.) You won't see me shelling out for an <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/unlocked-iphone-5-worth-the-cost/240142991">unlocked iPhone 5</a>, for example, because I probably won't get a business return on the $650 investment. Ditto for other full-price phones. But even at subsidized prices, it's possible for SMBs and self-employed professionals to pay more than they need to. When I bought the Droid X, Verizon was selling it at a discounted price of about $100. Pretty standard stuff at the time, but a quick search on <a href="http://wireless.amazon.com/">Amazon Wireless</a> -- which was out in beta -- found the exact same phone for just $50. Did that $50 shave years off my target retirement date? Hardly, but I can't think of a compelling reason to not take the savings. The solution here is straightforward: Do the extra legwork to make sure you find the best price. 3. Losing My Unlimited Data Plan. Alas, this one's not so much a mistake as a fact of mobile life. I'm grandfathered in with my unlimited data plan: 30 bucks a month buys me the privilege of not needing to pay any attention to how much bandwidth I'm using. Yet I'm not actually consuming that much data -- I don't watch movies or play many games on my phone, and there's only so much data one can use checking email during the day or sports scores at night. Besides, that grandfather clause doesn't really exist. Unless it changes course, Verizon is ultimately going to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/smart-phones/verizon-to-sunset-unlimited-data-plan/240000513">phase out unlimited data</a> whether I upgrade or not, to the <a href="https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/908338">chagrin of some of its customers</a>. If I stay put with Verizon, my blissful ignorance of data consumption might need to come to an end one way or another, so I might as well get a better phone in the bargain. Otherwise, I'd need to switch carriers. 4. Getting Back On The Contract Treadmill. If there's an <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">OS treadmill</a>, then the wireless contract treadmill is its equally grueling counterpart -- it will give your mobile budget a workout. Providers subsidize expensive hardware for a reason: We're <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/low-smartphone-prices-hide-expensive-tra/240049858">paying them back</a> -- and then some -- with those two-year contracts. Indeed, the SMB Group's 2012 mobility study found that voice and data costs eat up more than half of mobile budgets at small businesses with under 100 employees. Hardware and software get much thinner slices in that pie chart. These contracts are expensive. Plug even the most modest data cap into Verizon's Share Everything Plan calculator, and you're looking at $100 a month, plus taxes -- that's a $2,400 contract. Switching providers might offer lower rates – Verizon is known for its network, not its prices -- but then you could risk spotty service. And switching would still likely require a contract, even if it's a cheaper one. This is inherently at odds with number two above. The alternatives, though, have their own downsides. I could ride this Droid X until it simply dies -- not a particularly appealing path. I could pay full price for the hardware, but that's a high price tag for flexibility. My best bet is probably an unlocked phone. I'm intrigued by Google's Nexus 4, but there are some concerns there, too: no LTE 4G, and the fact that its underlying specs would require a network switch. Switching networks isn't a deal breaker, but it's not necessarily something I'm eager to do. And then we're back to pitfall number one: I haven't actually had a chance to play with a Nexus 4 yet. It's a good thing I'm not in a hurry -- this might take a while. I'm curious to hear from readers on this topic. Am I overthinking this? Did I miss something? Care to share your own upgrade criteria? <a href="mailto:smb.casey@gmail.com?Subject=Phone Upgrade">Email me</a>, send me <a href="https://twitter.com/kevinrcasey">a tweet</a>, or leave a comment below. Small and midsize businesses are falling prey to cyberattacks that cost them sensitive data, productivity and corporate accounts cleaned out by sophisticated banking Trojans. SMBs are typically on the hook for these losses and lack effective means to prevent them. Our <a href="http://www.darkreading.com/SMBSecurity/util/6123/download.html?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe">Small Businesses, Big Losses</a> report explains what makes these threats so menacing and shares best practices to defend against them. (Free registration required.)2012-12-04T14:15:00ZTumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBsFollowing GNAA's defacing of several thousand Tumblr blogs, take these security reminders to heart -- especially if you use popular publishing platforms.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-can-help-smbs/240115318"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/902/SITW_tn.jpg" alt=" 9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs" title=" 9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle"> 9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>The ease and speed with which anyone with anyone can create a website these days can be a great thing, especially for smaller businesses short on resources or technical know-how. Unfortunately, those same benefits double as security risks. That was on display Monday when the online troll group GNAA compromised the popular blogging platform Tumblr. Several thousand affected sites were taken over by a page that, to put it mildly, was not safe for work. Tumblr acknowledged the breach <a href="https://twitter.com/tumblr/status/275634144111906816">on Twitter</a>. It announced later in the day that the problem, which Tumblr said affected "a few thousand" accounts, had been resolved. "We quickly identified the source, removed the posts, and restored service to normal," the company said on <a href="http://staff.tumblr.com/post/37133597651/this-morning-some-of-you-may-have-noticed-a-spam">its own Tumblr blog</a>. "No accounts have been compromised, and you don't need to take any further action." [ Cybercrooks don't necessarily just follow the money. Read more at <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/how-cybercriminals-choose-their-targets/240007409?itc=edit_in_body_cross">How Cybercriminals Choose Their Targets</a>. ] The security firm Sophos <a href="http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/12/03/how-tumblr-worm-worked/">attributed the breach</a> to a fast-spreading worm. Any Tumblr users who visited an infected site while logged in immediately and unknowingly re-blogged the worm. In essence, the worm made use of one of the features that has made Tumblr a hit: the ease with which users can share and re-share content. That's among the reasons Tumblr makes an attractive target for hackers, trolls, and the like: Plenty of people -- to the tune of 170 million -- love it. That also means plenty of SMBs use it for marketing, customer service, microsites, or even as a full-blown Web presence. The same can be said of other low-cost, easy-to-use publishing platforms such as WordPress, Blogger, and others. Whether you use Tumblr or not, here are four timely website security reminders. 1. Check your code. Most website security problems start with the underlying source code. That appears to be the case in Monday's breach, according to Sophos' technical breakdown of the Tumblr worm. Code vulnerabilities can lead to malware, SQL injections, and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/smb-websites-face-mass-meshing-attacks/230800074">other security exploits</a>. Whether you write your own code, use someone else's, or manage a combination of both, don't simply trust that it's all safe and secure. Give your code a regular checkup. Start with your Internet service provider or website host; ask what vulnerability testing and monitoring services they provide. It's possible such services are included as part of your existing agreement. If not, there are loads of security vendors out there who would be glad to take care of this for you, often in automated behind-the scenes fashion -- so long as you can pay their asking price. For SMBs on a small budget -- or a nonexistent one -- there are free tools out there that can help. Netsparker offers a <a href="http://www.mavitunasecurity.com/communityedition/">free community edition</a> of its Web application security software, for example, that scans for SQL injections. (It also offers a free trial of its more robust paid edition.) Google's <a href="https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home?hl=en">Webmaster Tools</a> also offers site checkups for malware and other potential problems, as well as help with remediating known problems. The latter is a must to ensure your site stays off Google and browser blacklists in the wake of an incident. 2. Stay current on software. Just as you stay on top of Windows updates, Adobe patches, Web browser versions, and other important downloads, you should stay current with any website publishing platforms you use. WordPress is a good example -- the wildly popular content management system regularly releases new versions, in part to fix security issues and other bugs. Yet 55% of WordPress sites are <a href="http://wordpress.org/about/stats/">running an older version</a> of the software. One reason that can cause problems: The <a href="http://wordpress.org/news/2012/09/wordpress-3-4-2/">release notes</a> for new versions typically announce the security flaws in the previous versions -- something hackers can use to exploit sites that don't stay up to date. 3. Kill old sites. Did you start that corporate blog with the best of intentions, only to let it languish in the great Internet desert of forgotten sites? Consider deleting it altogether unless you've got a good business reason to keep it up. "Dead" blogs and other mothballed websites make <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/malware-mobile-lead-smb-security-threats/229001001">nice targets for hackers</a>, since they're often running on outdated code or publishing platforms. (If you've stopped updating your blog, you've probably stopped updating its publishing tool, too.) Even if the forgotten site doesn't necessarily provide a back door into more valuable targets, it can pose the risk of embarrassment and reputation harm -- such as attacks that plaster racist or obscene language across the page. You likewise don't want sites or pages associated with your business unwittingly hosting porn, malware, spambots, or other potentially damaging stuff. Any Web application is inherently a threat vector, to use security industry lingo. There's no sense in maintaining threat vectors that no longer provide any business value. Eliminate unnecessary risks. 4. Use minor incidents to better defend against major ones. Monday's security breach was somewhat embarrassing for Tumblr. It was certainly a disruption -- albeit a brief one -- for the several thousand affected sites. But the bottom-line impact was more akin to online vandalism than the types of security issues that lead to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/who-bears-online-fraud-burden-bank-or-bu/231000381">bank account losses</a> and other lasting consequences. It wasn't the first incident of its kind; it won't be the last. That's not to say you should take such cases lightly. Rather, use them as reminders to safeguard your valuable business assets. Assess and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/top-smb-security-worries-intellectual-pr/232400175">prioritize your security risks</a> and act accordingly. Use common sense and good basic security practices, such as <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/9-password-security-policies-for-smbs/232500320">strong passwords</a>. Don't be an easy mark for criminals, hacktivists, or people who wreak online havoc just because they can. Small and midsize businesses are falling prey to cyberattacks that cost them sensitive data, productivity and corporate accounts cleaned out by sophisticated banking Trojans. SMBs are typically on the hook for these losses and lack effective means to prevent them. Our <a href="http://www.darkreading.com/SMBSecurity/util/6123/download.html?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe">Small Businesses, Big Losses</a> report explains what makes these threats so menacing and shares best practices to defend against them. (Free registration required.)2012-11-30T11:06:00Z10 Essential Android Apps For Work, HomeDo you use your own Android phone at work? These 10 apps go the distance between home and office.http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/10-essential-android-apps-for-work-home/240142920?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_AuthorsIf you use bring your own smartphone to work, there's about a 50-50 chance it's an Android-based device. Apple's iPhone is, of course, the other side of that coin. Sure, people also use BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices. But <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/ios-squeaks-past-android-in-us/240142625">recent market share stats</a> show Android and iOS power the overwhelming majority of smartphones in the United States, and the two are pretty much in a dead heat following the release of iPhone 5. Android phones typically come with some business-friendly apps -- email, calendar, cloud storage and so forth -- though the pre-installed menu skews heavily toward other Google products like Gmail and Google Calendar. Unless you subsist entirely on Google fare for your digital life at home and work, you'll need additional apps to optimize your device. In some cases, it's a no-brainer -- if you spend every working moment in Salesforce.com, you'll probably want that data on any device you use. In other cases, it can be helpful to think in terms of tasks that you want or need to get done -- professional or personal -- on your phone. Below are 10 ways to help bridge the gap between home and office. Security's important for any device but especially for one you carry and use everywhere, for example. You'll want to be able to access and share files from anywhere, something we're almost beginning to take for granted. And it's not only about being able to get work done with a personal device; you don't have to miss The Office (or whatever you watch on TV) because you're stuck at the office. You can set your DVR from your Android. The emphasis here is on smartphones, though the most of the basic functions would apply to Android tablets, too. In some use cases, such as videoconferencing or accessing virtual desktops, the tablet form factor might actually be preferable. Bear in the mind the elephant in the room: Corporate BYOD policy. Much of what you do (or don't do) with your Android at work will be governed by corporate rules on using personal hardware for business. Some companies have a light policy -- or none at all -- which means you're largely on your own. Some companies have a very thorough or even restrictive policy that may govern the apps that you can use or data you can access on your phone. Obviously, the sensible strategy is to follow the rules -- running afoul of them could mean your Android will be device non grata, or more serious consequences. If your employer's bring-your-own policy falls into the "thorough" category, one upside is that you may be able to save some time, money, or both by using company-provided apps for things like security and collaboration instead of provisioning your own. If the company requires that you submit to remote wiping of data in certain situations, for example, they'll almost certainly provide the tools for doing so. (If they don't, the policy might need some fine-tuning.) You'd presumably be able to rely on company or vendor support for those apps, too. If your employer's BYOD policy essentially amounts to "Sure, have at it" -- not <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">what the lawyers recommend</a>, but it's possible, especially in small and midsize business (SMB) environments -- you're probably not going to get much in the way of company-paid apps or support. But you'll have more freedom to download and install apps as you see fit. You'll just need to do your own cost-benefit legwork when it comes to paid apps, particularly if there's a free alternative. Read on for 10 keys for the BYOD Android device. Got your own must-have apps for the Android you use at home and at work? Tell us about them in the comments below. Android's popularity has not come about without some security issues, such as malicious apps in the Google Play marketplace. Regardless of the platform, Symantec predicts a rise in "madware," a form of mobile spam that can lead to security problems, and other threats to mobile devices in 2013. Just as you'd want to take steps to protect your laptop or desktop, you'll need to do the same on your Android. One option is to install mobile versions of your company-sponsored security applications on your personal device, if available and allowed. You might be required to do so as part of a structured BYOD program. If not, or if you're paranoid (and if you are, it's probably best to leave the personal gear at home altogether), there's a growing menu of security apps available. You'll pay for full-featured versions, but the likes of Lookout, AVG, Avast, Webroot and Symantec's Norton brand offer basic mobile security apps for free. You'll have to do your own risk assessment to determine if a free version offers enough protection for your personal device, but it's better than nothing. Don't be the proverbial low-hanging fruit. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a> Remote wipe is like the stuff of spy movies -- "this message will self-destruct in 10 seconds," etc. -- but more practical. Enabling remote-wipe functionality allows you (or your IT team) to erase the data from a lost or stolen device. You should also wipe devices that are sold, given to someone else or recycled. Similar features include the ability to remotely locate or lock a device, or to make the phone "scream" in the hands of a thief. If your company has a strong BYOD policy, it's likely that remote wipe is a basic requirement for using your device on the company network. If not, you can put it in place yourself. Google enables <a href="http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=173390">remote-wipe directly</a>, but with a catch: You need to be using Google Sync or the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.enterprise.dmagent">Google Apps Device Policy</a> app (pictured). Otherwise, the paid versions of most popular security apps (such as those mentioned in the previous slide) should include remote wipe, locate, lock, or scream features. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>It should be beginning-of-the-semester material for Modern Life 101: Back up your important documents, photos and other files in more than one place. The cloud has made it easier than ever to keep a spare copy should something happen to the original, something that is especially important for easy-to-lose devices that travel with between home, office, and everywhere else. Sharing and storing files in the cloud is likely one of the areas your company's BYOD policy will cover, if it has one. Some organizations <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/ibm-bans-dropbox-should-smbs-follow-suit/240001032">say no to certain apps</a> or to putting company information on public cloud platforms. If your organization mandates the use of particular mobile apps for file-sharing or backup, then the choice is made for you. If not, use what you use on your laptop or desktop, too. Most of the major players in this crowded space such as Dropbox, Box.net, and Google Drive (pictured), offer Android apps for easy integration with your other hardware. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>The virtualization boom has been underway for quite a while in SMB environments. Most of the predictions suggest that's only going to continue. A potential benefit here is that an existing virtualization platform can offer a way to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/does-byod-make-sense-for-smbs/240007616">manage BYOD risks</a> by keeping corporate data inside the corporate perimeter. Since you'll access your business data virtually whether you're in the office or not, it isn't stored on your device. That reduces the opportunity for mishandling of company data, intentional or unintentional. (If your employer uses virtualization and has a highly structured BYOD policy, this might already be a core requirement for accessing company data from your personal devices.) Major vendors like Citrix and VMware offer free Android apps. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>It's simply a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/9-password-security-policies-for-smbs/232500320">bad idea to reuse the same passwords</a> across many types of accounts. The risks just compound if you do so across personal and professional accounts: Email, banking, social media, cloud applications and so on. But the reason people do so is because they've got more accounts than ever -- creating and remembering dozens of unique passwords (or more) can quickly become a chore. Consider a digital password wallet like <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mseven.msecure">mSecure</a> (pictured) that encrypts, syncs and stores your passwords and other credentials across devices and applications. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>Unless you've shunned social media altogether, odds are you check and update your accounts from your phone. That can be a bit of a juggling act with the vast number of sites these days. It can become downright treacherous if you handle separate accounts for your personal and professional lives from the same device, not an uncommon task these days in businesses small and large. The wrong personal tweet on a professional account could <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/03/10/chrysler_twitter_fail/">turn ugly</a> quick. The short history of social media has already supplied a robust list of painful examples. A social media management tool like <a href="http://hootsuite.com/">Hootsuite</a> can help keep things in order and keep you out of hot water, though it's no replacement for common sense. If you use your phone for social activities at home and at work, the Android app is a must. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>If you meet online frequently, this one's a no-brainer -- no sense in being tied to your office desk just to make a 15-minute videoconference. All the more true if you tote a tablet with a front-facing camera -- put it to good use. This is also an area where you can often leverage your company's existing tools without spending additional money. If your employer is a Cisco Webex shop, for example, there's a free <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cisco.webex.meetings">Android app</a>. If not, the apps for free (or partially free) tools like <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skype.raider">Skype</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.logmein.joinme">Join.me</a> can come in handy as a low-cost alternative. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>If you find yourself updating phone settings frequently -- such as 4G or Wi-Fi -- depending on whether you're at home, work, or any other location, the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.twofortyfouram.locale">Locale</a> app can automate much of that screen tapping effort. The app changes your phone's settings automatically depending on where you are. For example, you can designate VIP callers -- the boss, say -- to supersede silent mode. It's perhaps a bit of luxury at $4.99, though the ROI case might be made by the potential embarrassment of your Lady Gaga ringtone sounding off during a staff meeting. Locale will switch ringtones when you arrive at the office. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>If you track your time and expenses for work, you want to be able to so from anywhere with your phone. You'll find a number of a time tracking apps in Google Play, some of them free, though they typically only output to Excel or XML. If you want to do and store everything online, Harvest is a popular cloud app for time and expense tracking; though it requires a monthly subscription for all but the lightest users, it offers a free month and a <a href="http://www.getharvest.com/android-time-tracker">native Android app</a>. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>If you did leave the oven on, an Android device probably won't help. But there are apps out there that will help you manage other aspects of house and home while at the office or on the road. You can <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.directv.dvrscheduler">manage your DVR</a>, adjust your <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=RadioThermostat.com">Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat</a>, and keep tabs on your <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.icontrol.icontrolweb">home security system</a>, for example. Actually, there is such a thing as a <a href="http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/03/16/oven-equipped-wifi">Wi-Fi oven</a> you can control with an Android phone -- the Samsung product just isn't widely available yet. Alas, developers haven't figured out an app that can walk your dog. Recommended Reading <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320">6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must Address</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/outlookcom-gets-android-app-more-feature/240142678">Outlook.com Gets Android App, More Features</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/google-nexus-4-ships-in-4-to-9-weeks/240142694">Google Nexus Ships In 4 To 9 Weeks</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/why-androids-dominance-is-bad/240142134">Why Android's Dominance Is Bad</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/8-cloud-tools-for-road-warriors/240142591">8 Cloud Tools For Road Warriors</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/storage-memory/visual-tour-microsoft-skydrive-for-andro/240007310">Visual Tour: Microsoft SkyDrive For Android</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">Google Drive: 10 Alternatives To See</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-best-apps-for-samsung-galaxy-notes/240006481">10 Best Apps For Samsung Galaxy Notes</a>2012-11-28T13:50:00ZWindows 8: Let's Not Plan The Funeral YetEven in tech time, it seems silly to sound the death knell so soon on such a significant overhaul. Did you really expect instant success?http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-lets-not-plan-the-funeral-yet/240142707?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-8-big-benefits-for-smbs/240142263"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/907/01_windows8pro_tn.jpg" alt="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" title="Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Windows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBs</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div> Microsoft did its best Mark Twain imitation on Tuesday, effectively dismissing rumors of Windows 8's premature death as exaggerated. Windows exec Tami Reller told the crowd at the Credit Suisse 2012 Annual Technology Conference that Microsoft has already <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/microsoft-windows-8-sales-match-early-wi/240142685">sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses</a> in the first month of general availability. Moreover, upgrades to Windows 8 are moving more rapidly than upgrades to Windows 7 -- the most popular operating system ever -- did in its first month on the market. I find this news oddly refreshing. When I mentioned to my wife the various rumors and reports that Windows 8 might be DOA, she responded, "Really? Didn't it just come out?" Yes, it did. But there's a Hollywood box office mentality when it comes to high-profile technology launches -- if people aren't immediately lining up for your latest-and-greatest, then it's a flop. I think that's misguided. Windows customers -- me included -- aren't paying 12 bucks for two hours of entertainment. We're buying software, and in many cases, hardware, too, that we'll rely on for at least a couple of years. (Or, if you're still running XP, many years.) What's the rush? Especially for smaller businesses, it doesn't usually make much sense to pay the early adoption tax. When I recently laid out my reasons for <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">passing on Windows 8</a> at launch, I noted that if I did upgrade at some point down the line, the decision would likely be motivated by a hardware purchase. Much of that hardware is still on the assembly line, and what is already out there is relatively expensive. It stands to reason that the hardware -- not to mention the apps and underlying OS -- will improve with time, too. While I'm just a single user, organizations that upgrade to Windows 8 likewise need to consider a corresponding hardware refresh -- touch PCs and tablets, in particular -- for an optimal deployment. And hardware aside, there's the basic fact that Windows 8's mobile-minded UI requires most users to reset their <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">traditional PC habits</a>. In other words, if Windows 8 is going to succeed with businesses, consumers, or both, it's going to take a while. The problem isn't necessarily with Windows 8 and the changes it ushers in. The problem is that "it's going to take a while" isn't a popular saying in the technology business, or in any business these days. There's something to be said for urgency -- but not if it's accompanied by myopia. Perhaps it's naive to chafe at the go-big-or-go-home impatience that's so pervasive in the industry. Shareholders aren't philanthropists, after all. (Even Bill Gates is <a href="http://archive.is/20120729/http://www.breakingwindows.net/1link3.htm">reputed</a>, perhaps apocryphally, to have once dressed down an executive in a meeting: "Why don't you just give up your options and join the Peace Corps?") But I'd counter that it would be downright unrealistic to have expected Windows 8 to become a massive sensation overnight. In a sense, 40 million is a small number in Microsoft terms; the company has sold 630 million Windows 7 licenses worldwide. Some of the <a href="http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/26/microsoft-surface-tablet-apple-ipad/">not-so-rosy</a> analyst reports have no doubt spawned tense meetings in Redmond conference rooms on both the consumer and business fronts. Microsoft still has a lot of catching up to do on mobile devices; Apple and Google have made the most of their head starts. While Microsoft <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/11/27/windows-8-40-million-licenses-sold.aspx">bragged</a> that the Windows Store opened with more apps than any other app marketplace at launch -- and has subsequently doubled the inventory -- it has a long way to go to match what's on offer for iOS or Android devices. That will be a major hindrance with consumers in the short term. Indeed, revered tech reviewer Walt Mossberg <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20121127/latest-lumia-smartphone-high-quality-but-its-heavy/">just listed</a> a lack of apps as one of two strikes against Nokia's Lumia 920, which runs Windows Phone 8. Windows 8 faces challenges in the corporate world, too -- a world where Windows has made the cash register ring millions of times over and continues to dominate PC market share. It's certainly plausible that Microsoft will need to issue a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-8-fizzling-time-for-windows-clas/240142618">"Windows Classic"</a> or <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/are-windows-8-sales-already-disappointin/240142534">Windows 8.5</a> version to foster significant adoption by businesses, many of whom are still working their way up to Windows 7. But 40 million signals that it might be a bit soon to start digging a plot for Windows 8 alongside Vista in the technology graveyard. So Windows 8 wasn't an instant blockbuster. So what? It could still be a success story. It just might take a while. Upgrading isn't the easy decision that Win 7 was. We take a close look at Server 2012, changes to mobility and security, and more in the new <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/092412/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Here Comes Windows 8</a> issue of InformationWeek. Also in this issue: Why you should have the difficult conversations about the value of OS and PC upgrades before discussing Windows 8. (Free registration required.)2012-11-27T12:45:00ZBlack Friday, Cyber Monday: 4 SMB LessonsSMBs should mind these tech-focused takeaways from the annual shopping craze.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/black-friday-cyber-monday-4-smb-lessons/240142638?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-can-help-smbs/240115318"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/902/SITW_tn.jpg" alt=" 9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs" title=" 9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle"> 9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>For some retailers, Black Friday started on Thursday and Cyber Monday will last the entire week. But regardless of when it starts or ends, this year's Thanksgiving sales bonanza appears to have paid off. Businesses raked in more than $59 billion over Black Friday weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. The spending spree continued with Cyber Monday, the online follow-up to Black Friday. "It's been a strong day so far," said <a href="http://www.channeladvisor.com">ChannelAdvisor</a> CEO Scot Wingo, in an interview on Monday afternoon. ChannelAdvisor's cloud software helps merchants sell on sites like Amazon and eBay, where Wingo said same-store sales were up 52% and 57%, respectively, from last year. Sales resulting from <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/strategy/whats-next-in-seo-for-smbs-6-predictions/240003354">online searches</a> were up nearly 31%, according to ChannelAdvisor. [ Website traffic surges don't happen only on Black Friday. For tips on how to manage them, see <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/black-friday-5-tips-for-online-traffic-s/240142473?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Black Friday: 5 Tips For Online Traffic Surges</a>. ] That seems to have held true for the rest of the day. Online sales on Cyber Monday jumped 30% from the same day in 2011, according to data from IBM's <a href="http://www-01.ibm.com/software/marketing-solutions/benchmark/">Digital Analytics Benchmark</a>. Let's look at four tech-focused takeaways the annual consumer craze offers small and midsize businesses (SMBs). 1. Don't Ignore Mobile Commerce. Consumer-oriented SMBs that overlook mobile may be quickly falling behind the competition. Nearly one in four shoppers used a mobile device to visit a retailer's website on Black Friday, according to IBM. Further, smartphones and tablets accounted for more than 16% of all online sales. Both numbers represent significant increases from 2011. Meanwhile, 13% of purchases on Cyber Monday were made from a mobile device. Research conducted by the SMB Group <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/3-mobile-trends-smbs-might-be-missing/232900761">earlier this year</a> found that just 25% of small businesses (1-99 employees) and 34% of midsize businesses (100-1,000 employees) had already deployed mobile-ready websites. ChannelAdvisor's Wingo said mobile might be the technology story that comes out of this year's Black Friday-and-beyond buying binge. ChannelAdvisor's data showed mobile accounting for 36% of all traffic on its platform this year, up from around 20% in 2011. "Consumers like shopping with their devices," Wingo said. "We as an industry need to continue to accommodate that behavior and make it easier for them." 2. SMB Buyers Can Cash In, Too. The post-Thanksgiving sales typically feature a wave of hardware and other technology discounts. Even usually-stingy Apple <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/apple-macintosh/black-friday-unusual-apple-deals/240142480">offered modest deals</a> on Black Friday. It can be a good time for cash-strapped small businesses and self-employed professionals who buy retail to go bargain-hunting for necessary technology upgrades. Some examples: Buy.com on Monday morning featured a 1.5 TB external hard drive for just under $60. HP offered a <a href="http://www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/static/page-cybermonday">free Nook e-reader</a> to anyone who bought a PC -- also discounted -- from its online store. Dell trotted out a slew of Cyber Monday offers specifically for SMBs, under the tagline "We've got your IT wish list covered." Dell's deals on PCs, servers, and accessories are actually available through Friday, an increasingly common tactic among retailers. (Walmart's Black Friday events began while most folks were still digesting their Thanksgiving Day meals.) And though Apple's own promotion was a 24-hour deal, Newegg.com is still shaving a few dollars -- 19 of them, to be exact -- off of the third-generation iPad. It's selling the 32-GB Wi-Fi model with retina display for $580 via Google Offers. The bottom line: ROI and impulse buys don't typically walk hand in hand, but if you were already planning an upgrade, this is a good time of year to find the best price. 3. It Pays To Prepare. The Post-Thanksgiving Shopping Spree 2012 has been quiet on one IT front: Website outages. While SMB site outages tend not to generate headlines like those at high-profile retailers like Target, the downtime can be just as painful -- if not more so. The good news: Retailers seem to have been <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/black-friday-5-tips-for-online-traffic-s/240142473">prepared for the crush</a> this year. "Nothing to report -- everything seems to be humming along," ChannelAdvisor's Wingo said. Smaller merchants might be a bit overwhelmed with order fulfillment, but as Wingo notes, "That's a high-class problem to have." SMB retailers that were ready for the rush are reaping the rewards. "[Experienced SMBs] realize: 'We're running on seven-day weeks here,'" Wingo said. "There is no holiday for an online retailer this time of year." 4. The Alternative Strategy: Don't Discount. Running major deals and promotions puts pressure on IT. Downtime during high-traffic periods can be devastating to the bottom line, enough so that <a href="http://m.startribune.com/news/?id=131825023">jobs are on the line</a>. SMBs that can't properly prepare for the influx of traffic and transactions might want to consider another path: Don't discount. In fact, that strategy might be a prudent pricing tactic for the long term. Sheri Bridges, a professor at the <a href="http://business.wfu.edu/">Wake Forest University Schools of Business</a>, points out that discounts eat into margins -- which are sometimes claustrophobic to begin with. That means lost revenue that can't then be reinvested in things that keep customers coming back time and again. "Innovative products [and] services, improved customer support, enhanced retail experiences -- all these and more require adequate margins," Bridges said via email. Slashing prices can pump up short-term cash flow, but it can also muck up the big picture. "Price-based sales promotions amount to paying people to like [or] buy your brand," Bridges said. "That's not a viable long-term strategy." Online Marketing Summit is hosting a free webinar, <a href="http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=537044&s=1&k=FA1B87EA12F4C518A9154B3C28EAD023">Trends & Challenges For Digital Marketing</a>. Join industry thought leaders to learn about the trends and challenges that are transforming digital marketing and how to develop your 2013 strategy and initiatives to account for them. It happens Nov. 30. 2012-11-21T09:39:00ZBlack Friday: 5 Tips For Online Traffic SurgesBlack Friday should remind SMBs to prepare for spikes in website traffic, not just during the busy holiday shopping season but throughout the year.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/black-friday-5-tips-for-online-traffic-s/240142473?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_AuthorsAh, Thanksgiving: Turkey, football, and rampant consumer madness. The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, kicks off the holiday shopping season with a bargain-hunting bang. Its online counterpart, Cyber Monday, follows on its heels. And the shopping won't really stop until the end of December. It's a most wonderful time of year for consumer retailers and other businesses that earn the lion's share of their annual revenue during a few frenzied weeks. "One credit card processor we work with does nearly 35% of its annual dollar volume this time of year and 20% of its total transaction volume, which is tens of millions of card swipes," said <a href="http://www.stratus.com/">Stratus Technologies</a> CEO Dave Laurello. "Just minutes of downtime could be disastrous financially and to its reputation." [ For more on best security practices for SMBs, see <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/science-technology/how-small-business-owners-become-cyber-v/240009082?itc=edit_in_body_cross">How Small Business Owners Become Cyber Victims</a>. ] Indeed, these traffic surges should be a boon for the balance sheet -- but they can quickly become a bane if service disruptions or full-blown site outages occur. Black Friday is an obvious traffic driver, but similar spikes can take place throughout the calendar. They're often the result of predictable events such as holidays, new product launches, advertising campaigns, and seasonal factors. Here are five ways small and midsize businesses (SMBs) can help prevent website problems during such high-volume periods. 1. Don't Get Caught Unprepared. Unlike <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/data-centers/hurricane-sandy-surge-challenges-nyc-dat/240012583">natural disasters</a> and other uncontrolled causes of IT havoc, many traffic surges -- like Black Friday -- are quite predictable. Online merchants generally expect to see a 200% increase in <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/seo-for-smbs-7-timely-tips/240003219">organic traffic</a> over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to <a href="http://corratech.com/ecommerce/">CorraTech</a> COO Michael Harvey. Traffic might temporarily spike 800% or more if the marketing team runs a successful Black Friday program. Advance preparation is a must. “Obviously, planning is key," Harvey said. "It's very important to define clear roles and responsibilities and escalation paths in the event that any problems crop up." For lots of SMBs, such planning needs to involve both internal and external groups, such as the in-house IT team, an external Web hosting firm, and the development firm that implemented the e-commerce engine. Regardless of your specific scenario, make sure resource assignments are clear for monitoring, troubleshooting, and related tasks. Harvey suggested authorizing key personnel at the appropriate vendors to proactively solve problems as they arise, rather than waiting for approval. An example: Enable the third-party development firm to open or escalate trouble tickets directly with the Web host. Communication is critical among internal teams, too. If the marketing department is running Black Friday or similar promotions, the IT team needs to be in the loop. "It is vital for the technical team to know exactly when such a promotion is unveiled to the public, and all eyes need to be carefully monitoring system performance," Harvey said. 2. Watch Out For The Bad Guys. Shoppers aren't the only ones out over the Thanksgiving holiday. "Cybercriminals mark their calendar and look to capitalize on the online shopping frenzy through fake sites and scams masquerading as 'special' promotions," said Kevin Haley, director of <a href="http://www.symantec.com/security_response/">Symantec Security Response</a>. The same can hold true for just about another other high-profile holiday, event, or other traffic driver -- online crooks follow the money. Haley advised using securing your customers' <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/application-security/facebook-adopts-secure-web-pages-by-defa/240142310">entire website</a> visit via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), also known as Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), rather than just certain portions of the site such as checkout. Further, he recommended using the "green browser bar" that comes with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_Validation_Certificate">Extended Validation SSL Certificates</a> to reassure consumers that yours is a legitimate site. Lastly, use automated malware scans and vulnerability assessments to prevent and detect website threats. A <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/rsa-upgrades-malware-defenses-for-bank-t/240142390">malware infection</a> or other breach could cause both Web browsers and search engines to blacklist your site, among other major problems. 3. Consider Dialing Down DoS Defenses. There's one security practice that can backfire during the holiday shopping craze: defenses against <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/hackers-trade-tips-on-ddos-sql-injection/240012531">denial of service attacks</a>. "The volume thresholds that keep your site protected the rest of the year may be too low to handle a welcome holiday Web spike," said <a href="http://www.kemptechnologies.com/us/">KEMP Technologies</a> chief scientist Jon Braunhut. "Ease up on those controls until the New Year." (Just don't forget to dial them back up in 2013, of course.) 4. Compress For Success. Braunhut also advised <a href="http://perl.apache.org/docs/tutorials/client/compression/compression.html">Web content compression</a> as a best practice that becomes particularly useful during high-volume periods such as the holiday shopping blitz. It can both lower <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/will-broadband-internet-metering-hurt-sm/240004335">bandwidth costs</a> and improve site performance. "If you're going to be running anywhere close to your Internet circuit capacity during the onslaught of holiday traffic, this nice-to-have option will quickly turn into [a] must-have," Braunhut said. 5. Lock Everything Else Down. When you know a surge in activity is coming, don't schedule other major projects for the same time period. The conventional wisdom surrounding major traffic events such as Black Friday is to go into lockdown mode. "[That means] no configuration changes, no new technology deployments or applications launched, nothing to disrupt a steady state," Stratus' Laurello said. Let the bottom-line stakes make your business case for IT lockdown. That shouldn't be too difficult if your site does a huge chunk of its entire year's revenue during the holidays or any other specific stretch of time. You can at least ballpark the cost of a slowdown or outage based on your historical sales. Technology lockdown helps reduce the risk of system errors. It can also help keep that other major variable -- people -- in check. "It’s a toss-up whether most downtime is caused by systems failure or human error. In our experience, the two often go hand-in-hand," Laurello said. "Either way, erecting an invisible fence around the IT infrastructure as the shopping season nears can improve your chances of surviving these crucial days unscathed." Online retailers are stuck in a maze of e-business security and PCI compliance requirements. The new, all-digital special issue of Dark Reading gives you <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/drdigital/102912drs/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">10 Ways To Secure Web Data</a>. (Free registration required.)2012-11-19T13:20:00Z6 Risks Your BYOD Policy Must AddressStrong company policies are a must for managing legal and other risks of personal devices used in the workplace. Are you addressing all the issues?http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/6-risks-your-byod-policy-must-address/240142320?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/galleries/mobile/6-ways-iphone-5-ios-6-amp-up-social-oppo/240008245"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/878/ios6_image_full.png" alt="Six Ways The iPhone 5 and iOS 6 Amp Up Social Opportunities" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Six Ways The iPhone 5 and iOS 6 Amp Up Social Opportunities</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>The lawyers at Foley & Lardner have a message for IT pros about BYOD: Resistance is futile! That's not an exact quote but it's pretty close. The firm's <a href="http://www.foley.com/ebusiness/">IT and outsourcing</a> practice recently conducted a webinar for companies grappling with employee-owned devices on and off their corporate networks and the long list of potential issues the BYOD model can cause. Naturally, the event focused on the legal and related risks associated with BYOD. But it wasn't doom and gloom. The lawyers highlighted the positive potential outcomes of allowing employees to use their own mobile devices and other hardware at work, such as lower costs, improved employee productivity and satisfaction, and even hiring -- the presentation cited a Unisys report that found 44% of job hunters find an offer more attractive if the employer supports iPads. The bottom line: BYOD is happening whether you like it or not. "At the end of the day, BYOD is not going anywhere," said Foley & Lardner partner Matthew A. Karlyn. "It's only going to increase." [ Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/does-byod-make-sense-for-smbs/240007616?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Does BYOD Make Sense For SMBs?</a> ] That said, there are innumerable risks associated with allowing employees to use their personal smartphones, tablets, and other hardware for company business. Just as the head-in-sand strategy would be ill advised, so too would BYOD anarchy. Karlyn and his colleagues stressed the need for a strong, thorough policy that employees can actually understand. To that end, he advised regular education and training initiatives, both in person and online. Finally, he noted that policies must be enforced with meaningful consequences for rule-breakers; otherwise, rules are essentially worthless. The lawyers noted that policy, training and enforcement specifics will vary by business. Highly regulated industries like healthcare and finance, for example, have an entire other set of concerns related to BYOD. But they highlighted just how complex the BYOD workplace can be -- and how specific your policy must be as a result. A fundamental idea behind the policy-education-enforcement strategy is that the legal and other risks of BYOD can be reduced if both employer and employee clearly understand those risks and their roles and responsibilities in managing them. Consider these six specific issues that you and your employees might not be adequately addressing. 1. Data Is Discoverable. Foley & Lardner partner Michael R. Overly began his part of the presentation by noting that BYOD devices might be discoverable in lawsuits. In English: Everything an employee does on her personal iPhone, for example, could be used as evidence in a lawsuit against her employer. Overly said that usually comes as a surprise to senior management when he does corporate training work. "More times than not, those executives are absolutely, positively astonished when we explain that when someone participates in a BYOD program, that device may be subject to discovery in litigation," he said. Employees who assume they have a right to privacy -- it's "my" device, after all -- might likewise be in for a shock. The personal devices they use at work could be examined not only by their employer but by the other party in the lawsuit. Their <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/social-media-can-hurt-you-in-a-lawsuit/231900409">social media</a>, photographs, personal email, geo-location information and many other kinds of data could be pored over at length. "Even though people may understand [the discovery process] in a general sense, [they] do not appreciate just how invasive a review like that can be," Overly said. "Which is why it's so important to make sure that people that elect to participate in a BYOD program understand that type of risk -- that, by participating, you're giving up certain rights." 2. Discovery Can Be Expensive. If you have a come-one-come-all approach to BYOD -- as in "if we allow one device, we might allow them all" -- this might make you rethink it. Lawyers don't typically work cheap and discovery can get expensive. If employees are using not just one but two or more personal devices for work, you're potentially adding a multiplier to your legal costs in a lawsuit. That's because all of those devices might have to be turned over for discovery. In fact, there doesn't even need to be a lawsuit to incur such costs -- just the threat of one and a requirement for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_hold">litigation hold</a>. "This is a cost that needs to be built in and understood in connection with deciding whether a BYOD program is appropriate for your business," Overly said.3. BYOD Devices Are Subject To Border Search And Seizure. If you've got employees that travel internationally, their devices might be subject to search or seizure at border control -- something they need to be aware of in advance if they're going to use their own when they're on the road. This falls into the category of employee awareness. They need to know, via policy and education, that they're forfeiting certain rights to their personal devices by using them for work. 4. Who's Responsible For Repetitive Stress Injuries? Employers can manage the costs and risks of an employee getting hurt on the job in a variety of ways: Insurance, safety training, ergonomic office equipments and so forth. This would include desk-bound employees who develop repetitive stress injuries from typing, mousing or similar tasks. But what if they get "BlackBerry thumbs" from a device they own? Can they take action against their employer? If you think that sounds far-fetched, think again: Overly said they have already seen two cases where an employee at least explored a claim against their employer as result of using a personally owned device. "This is another policy and training thing: By putting employees on notice that there are issues, particularly repetitive-stress issues, with regards to the use of technology," employers can limit their liability, Overly said. 5. The Demise Of The Great American Novel. BYOD discussions tend to focus on the hardware that made it famous, namely smartphones and tablets. But bring-your-own can include laptops, netbooks, ultrabooks and other gear -- something bound to increase if <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 hardware</a> proliferates. Overly noted a situation involving a person who alleged that his employer deleted files from a personal laptop after he brought it to the office to have security software installed. Those files included the only copy of the novel he'd been writing for years; the claim stopped just short of court. Again, this scenario -- the responsibility for loss of data on an employee-owned device -- can be proactively managed via policy, provided the employee is made aware of the risks. (That particular employee might also need a tutorial on the many low-cost options for <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/platform/google-drive-10-alternatives-to-see/232901088">backing up files</a>.) 5. What Happens When An Employee Shares A Device? A strong BYOD policy would protect the company in the case of the employee's deleted novel-in-progress. It would not do the same if that novel was written by the employee's spouse. If you've ever shared or borrowed a computer, tablet or phone with family or friends, this one's for you. Overly called shared used of employee-owned devices one of the most pressing BYOD issues around, in part because it can't be easily mitigated with policy. An employee sharing a BYOD-use iPad with his spouse certainly opens up potential issues such as corporate data loss or security breaches. But it also creates a much thornier problem in terms of potential legal action against the employer. Overly described a case in which a spouse used a BYOD device to photograph an important, one-time life event. The company, in the course of routine device management, later deleted all of the photos -- the only copies -- via remote wipe. "How does the company protect itself against a claim by that spouse?" Overly said, noting that the employer doesn't have any policy or contract with that person governing use of the device. "It's very, very difficult to do," he said. The total separation of personal and business data on employee-owned devices is "the holy grail" for BYOD shops, Overly added. 6. What About When An Employee Gets Rid Of A Device? Employees that sell or recycle a BYOD device after upgrading pose another risk, as do lost or stolen devices. A common policy and technology strategy is to enable remote wiping of the device's data and require it as a condition of program participation. Like most protections, remote wipe is not fool-proof. But it's a key tool in managing the downside -- which can be steep simply because of the sheer volume of devices. Device disposal occurs millions of times when Apple releases a new iPhone, for example, or more incrementally when people accidentally leave their phones in taxicabs or airport waiting areas. Employee termination is another scenario where remote wipe can be crucial. "Terminated employees [are] always a challenge because they may not be interested in helping the company with anything," Overly said. A security information and event management system serves as a repository for all the security alerts and logging systems from a firm's devices. But this can be overkill for a company that is understaffed or has overestimated its security information needs. In our report, <a href="http://www.darkreading.com/SecurityMonitoring/util/7577/download.html?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe">Does SIEM Make Sense For Your Company?</a>, we discuss 10 questions to ask yourself in determining whether SIEM makes sense for you--and how to pick the right system if it does. (Free registration required.)2012-11-19T11:06:00ZWindows 8: 8 Big Benefits For SMBsWindows 8 adoption carries some possible trouble and many potential benefits for small and midsize businesses. Use these factors to decide if it's worth the risk.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-8-big-benefits-for-smbs/240142263?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_AuthorsWoe is Windows 8: Its post-launch thunder has been stolen by the very company that made it. Steven Sinofsky, the executive in charge of Windows, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-windows-chief-sinofsky-abruptl/240124904">abruptly left the company</a>. As tends to happen with companies of Mircosoft's size and stature, that has spawned plenty of hand-wringing and speculation about what that might mean for the Windows franchise and other product lines. There are surely some minor kinks to work out (and maybe <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/microsoft-windows-8-tablet-plans-in-disa/240142137">some major ones</a>). But amidst the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/sinofskys-exit-points-to-major-microsoft/240134908">corporate hullabaloo</a> in Redmond and the possibility of more changes to come, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) still have a new OS to consider, particularly if they've got technology refresh plans on the 2013 docket. Windows 8 adds a significant new variable to the "if, when, what, why" equation that results in an OS upgrade decision. Plenty of SMBs are either in the middle of or have recently completed a Windows 7 move. And then there are the many organizations still running XP who now face a choice between Windows 7 or making the leap to Windows 8. The latter -- which means skipping two versions of Windows -- is certainly possible, though perhaps not for the faint of heart. But even if you've already made up your mind to stick with Windows 7, it would be short-sighted to pretend Windows 8 doesn't exist. A forward-OS strategy takes into account not just next year but the next 10 (or more). Windows 8 won't be the final time Microsoft reboots its ubiquitous software. Time flies when you're talking technology; Windows 9 (or whatever name it will go by) will no doubt be upon us before you can spell obsolescence. Some industry people will even tell you to expect new Windows releases <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/straight-to-windows-8-7-tips-for-smbs/232900029">more frequently</a> in the future. Let's not forget the fact of consumerization. Even organizations that pass on Windows 8 -- and there will be lots of them -- will almost certainly still see Windows 8 in their offices and on their networks. Microsoft's consumer-focused advertising to date certainly seems to be betting on that. (Smart SMBs that embrace BYOD in managed fashion might consider using their policy as a strategic, low-cost way to test Windows 8 in business environments.) In the Windows 7 versus Windows 8 debate, the latter is generally considered the riskier move. Windows 7 is battle-tested and generally well-regarded (unlike its predecessor, Vista), making it the safe pick. Windows 8 is brand-new for everyone, aside from folks who have been testing it from day one in pre-release versions. New can be exciting. New can also mean "unknown," which some IT pros and other lines of business find anything but exciting. The price of making the safe pick often comes with forgoing the upside in the riskier option, though. There are without a doubt upsides in Windows 8. For starters, Windows shops finally have legitimate tablet options. Apple's iPad might continue to dominate for the foreseeable future, but it's no longer the only game in town. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/8-cool-windows-8-tablets/240010621">Far from it</a>, in fact. Then there's the fact that touch-obsessed users can now swipe their way through the traditional desktop or laptop experience -- something that's <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/windows-8-beats-the-mac-appsolutely/240009093">not possible on Macs</a>, the primary alternative to Windows-based PCs. The new Windows Store (which is exclusive to Windows 8 users) also creates vast possibilities for business. It has a long way to go before it's in a league with the apps marketplaces offered by Apple and Google. But there's a lot of promise for SMBs there, especially given the historical foothold Windows has enjoyed in corporate environments. SMBs that take the Windows 8 plunge will do so for a wide variety of reasons, but likely with a unifying theme: The risks are outweighed by the rewards. In fact, we've come up with eight rewards, to be exact. Let's look at these key reasons why SMBs and other organizations might find Windows 8 more appealing than its predecessors.SMBs everywhere have seized upon the ability to work whenever and wherever they want. But Windows shops have had limited options for true mobility in the past. The lack of a viable Windows tablet, in particular, meant using iPads or Android devices. The Windows 8 family -- Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows 8 Phone -- and the hardware that runs on it creates the opportunity for mobile SMBs to standardize on a single platform. What's more, that platform was visibly designed with mobile users in mind. RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>Windows 8 offers a number of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/application-security/windows-8-4-smart-security-improvements/240008842">security improvements</a>, but the most appealing for SMBs might be BitLocker. BitLocker's hard-drive encryption isn't new, but Windows 8 makes it more accessible for SMBs. That's because it's now included with Windows 8 Professional, the entry-level business edition. (BitLocker was limited to Ultimate and Enterprise editions in Vista and Windows 7.) That's particularly useful for the smaller companies that are unlikely to deploy the enterprise version of Windows. In short, BitLocker enables users to encrypt all of the data stored on the hard drive, reducing the risks associated with losing a business laptop or other hardware. BitLocker To Go offers similar protection for USB drives and other removable storage media. RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>Windows 8 wholly embraces the modern app paradigm made popular by Apple and Google. Sure, "app" is just a hipper way of saying "application," and Windows has always had those. But face it, most users now associate the word "app" with mobile devices and the corresponding ability to instantly download and run a wide range of software. Windows 8 and the new Windows Store will no doubt stock the games and other fun stuff favored by consumers, but it also has the chance to apply the app-centric mindset to real business tools. That includes services with crossover appeal such as <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">Skype</a> for Windows 8, as well as business-specific platforms like Lync and Sharepoint (which will have its own app ecosystem for Sharepoint 2013). RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>Windows 8 enables significant, always-on integration of those aforementioned apps and their data. Exhibit A: The live tiles concept behind Windows 8's Modern UI, formerly known as Metro. An example I return to again and again is integration with the SkyDrive cloud backup application. This will become even more apparent with the release of Office 2013 (pictured), which will include SkyDrive backup as a default setting. When you want users to do something, make it easy; countless surveys say SMBs haven't been particularly good at backing up their data. The devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy serves as a reminder of why poor backup practices can be a huge problem. RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>Windows 8's user interface changes may have garnered the most attention, but Microsoft didn't just slap a new coat of paint on its flagship. Backend improvements include improved dual-monitor support -- a feature at least a couple of InformationWeek readers have welcomed in the comments section of previous Windows 8 coverage -- and Storage Spaces. Perhaps the most notable for SMBs is speed -- especially if you're toiling on geriatric PCs running Windows XP that take 10 minutes just to open a browser window. Windows 8 touts faster boot times. Indeed, InformationWeek's Paul McDougall reported the Dell XPS 12 tablet boots from a completely off state in <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">about 8 seconds</a>. Readers have also noted their overall Windows 8 experience has been fast. The speed factor is a strong draw for SMBs slogging on slow machines after several years (or more) of postponed tech refreshes. RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>I've previously laid out <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">why the touchscreen PC isn't grabbing me</a>, but it would be narrow-minded (and a tad egomaniacal) to think touch doesn't hold appeal for other businesses. In fact, I can see plenty use cases: reception and other front-office roles, sales, event management, medical offices, retail stores and many others. Touch has already become second nature for many as a result of tablets and smartphones, but Windows 8 could popularize touch on PC form factors. (There's <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/windows-8-beats-the-mac-appsolutely/240009093">no such thing as a touchscreen Mac</a>, after all.) RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>When it comes to hardware, Windows-based SMBs -- which means most of them -- have had some pretty plain vanilla choices when it comes to form factors. Would you like that in a desktop or laptop? OK, it's not that straightforward -- there was such a thing as Windows Phone before now, and there are ultrabooks that run Windows 7. (And remember netbooks?) But that's kind of what it has felt like if you're a Windows guy or gal. Windows 8 ushers in a lot more choice -- or at least it will once the various OEMs start pumping up production. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">Ultrabooks</a>, tablets and convertibles join the old-school laptops and desktops -- though even those graybeards can now be had in touch. SMBs will be able to better match an employee's hardware to the employee's actual job functions. RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>Much of the above points toward a subjective assessment: Microsoft wants to make Windows cool. While features like BitLocker might be hip only for IT and the paranoid set, much of what's new with Windows 8 holds crossover appeal for home and work: sleek hardware, apps, touch and more. Does cool matter? Consider a Forrester finding that more than half of corporate employees think they have better technology at home than at work. It strikes me as likely that self-assessment is based as much on how that tech looks and feels as on what's under the hood. Does cool make money? Not necessarily, but happy and productive employees do. RECOMMENDED READING: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/10-great-windows-8-apps/240142227">10 Great Windows 8 Apps</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-mum-on-surface-tablet-sales/240115303">Microsoft Mum On Tablet Sales</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">Windows 8: Why I Won't Upgrade</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Windows 8: Are PC People Out Of Touch?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">Windows 8 Hardware Shopping Adventures</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">Windows 8: Do I Really Need A Single OS?</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/dell-xps-12-windows-8-tablet-vs-hurrican/240062511">Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 Tablet Vs. Hurricane Sandy</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-review-all-about-touch/240010599">Windows 8 Review: All About Touch</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google Drive: Hands-On</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/9-ways-skype-professional-network-helps/240115318">9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/6-reasons-to-want-windows-8-ultrabooks/240012634">6 Reasons To Want Windows 8 Ultrabooks</a>2012-11-14T14:07:00ZSMBs Spending on IT, Not New IT HiresSmall and midsize business IT budgets continue to grow but hiring remains stagnant. Here's why IT folk should embrace the trend.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240134962?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/galleries/social_networking_consumer/240007253"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/867/Google-Plus,-1st-screen_full.PNG" alt="10 Best Business Tools In Google+" title="10 Best Business Tools In Google+" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">10 Best Business Tools In Google+</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>The good news: IT spending at small and midsize businesses (SMBs) continues to steadily rise. The other news: SMBs aren't spending money on new IT hires. I say "other" news because I'm still not quite sure what to make of it: Good, bad or ugly. The most recent <a href="http://www.spiceworks.com/voice-of-it/">Spiceworks State of SMB IT</a> report shows the average annual budget up nearly 7%, to $162,000, from its last survey conducted <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/state-of-smb-it-spending-priorities/232901656">six months ago</a>. (If that strikes you as a low number, bear in mind the vastness of the SMB universe -- the 1,356 IT pros who weighed in with their budget number work at firms with fewer than 20 employees all the way on up to companies with 1,000 people on the payroll. The law of averages does its thing.) Yet while budgets are at a three-year high, hiring is stagnant. In fact, fewer firms reported plans to add IT staff (26%, down from 30% six months ago), while more say they'll stand pat with their current headcount (61%, up from 56% six months ago). This might just be the way of all trendy, statistical things. Although there's a link between IT spending and hiring, the latter tends to diverge from time to time, according to Spiceworks' executive director for vendor marketing Adam Weinroth. "You do see the ups and downs in hiring," Weinroth said in an interview. "Part of that is tied to more macroeconomic factors. It's something that can vary a bit, and now we're on a down cycle in terms of the robustness of hiring plans." [ Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402?itc=edit_in_body_cross">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a>. ] It could also be a sign of the times, with technology increasingly fulfilling roles once played by people. As the corporate purse strings loosen, more money is going into areas such as cloud, virtualization and mobility. Those quite often enable SMBs to offload much of their <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/smb/it-growing-pains-an-smb-outsourcing-dile/240000216">in-house IT needs</a>. "All of those things play into: 'What is the IT organization that I need to support my business?'" Weinroth said. "As new technologies come out, as they mature, as they become more accepted, that's going to change that outlook." The Spiceworks survey projected nearly three-quarters of SMBs will be using cloud services by early 2013, for example. The trend is evident elsewhere, too. A recent Analysys Mason report projected revenue from SMB IT services will grow three times faster than actual SMBs over the next five years. "SMBs are finding that IT can increasingly help them outsource things which they previously might have had in-house, for example their servers and their PBX, and this reduces the need to have in-house IT support staff," Analysys Mason analyst Patrick Rusby, who authored the report, told me via email. "If SMBs switch to buying software and infrastructure as a service, the support is provided as part of the service." Indeed, Spiceworks' Weinroth pointed to one clear winner in the growing-budget/flat-hiring picture: Vendors that prioritize ease of use and first-class support. "If I'm an IT pro and I'm not planning to do as much hiring, [but] I am procuring more services and planning to spend more, those have to be not creating a huge need for me to hire and support all of those things," Weinroth said. This also favors small businesses that didn't have significant IT personnel to begin with. These are the do-it-yourselfers; they might not have the chops of a seasoned CIO, but they don't need them. They're especially common in the smallest of companies. Cloud, virtualization, mobility and other areas are enabling them to build an IT infrastructure that looks a whole lot like their larger brethren, just without the corresponding staff to support it. BetterCloud's <a href="http://blog.bettercloud.com/google-apps-survey/">recent look</a> at the 10,000 or so Google Apps domains among its customer base, for instance, found that among companies with 20 or fewer employees, the business owner is the cloud platform's predominant administrator. In larger firms, an IT manager or other technical staffer is more likely responsible for the Google Apps deployment; some BetterCloud customers even have dedicated Google Apps admins. There's at least one loser in the increased-spending/flat- hiring scenario: the IT job seeker who favors SMB environments over large enterprises. The numbers suggest it's a buyer's market for hiring managers. But it's not doomsday -- one in four firms did expect to add headcount -- and relatively few firms (4%) have plans to downsize IT. I commonly hear from SMB professionals that even complete cloud transformations or similar IT overhauls require <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/6-tips-to-maximize-saas-value/231000149">the right people in-house</a> to ensure success. Likewise, they relish the ability for IT to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/jordache-redesigns-it-around-cloud-googl/240005266">become more strategic</a> or pursue <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/50to249/hybrid-cios-the-future-of-smb-it/240000558">hybrid roles</a> as it gets out of the support and maintenance game. It might be tempting for IT pros currently working at SMBs to resist cloud, virtualization or mobility initiatives. If these technologies are making it easier for their employers to rely on external resources, the self-preservation instinct might kick in. Wrong move, according to Analysys Mason's Rusby. "SMB IT staff need to be technology enablers," he advised. "Allowing BYOD and transitioning to cloud services is going to help SMBs to be more flexible and productive, while keeping costs under control." In that case, everyone wins. InformationWeek is conducting a survey on the state of Apple in the enterprise: How has the flood of iOS devices affected use and support of Apple systems? If you're not supporting Apple gear, what's holding you back? Take our <a href="http://informationweek.appleoutlook.sgizmo.com/s3/">InformationWeek Apple Outlook Survey</a> now. Survey ends Nov. 26. 2012-11-13T11:06:00Z9 Ways Skype Professional Network Helps SMBsThere's a new professional network on the block: Skype in the Workspace. Here are 9 reasons it's worth a look for small businesses and other users.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240115318?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_AuthorsTake a spin through Skype in the Workspace (SITW), a new networking site for businesses and professionals, and it looks suspiciously like social media. It features connections, favorites, testimonials and profile pages. Then there are the requisite integrations with sites like Twitter and LinkedIn. All these features should look and feel familiar to social butterflies. Yet the folks at Skype aren't really calling the new platform a social network. That might be a smart move to avoid the risk of social fatigue -- after all, do we really need another social site? No matter what they call it, SITW adds a decidedly social component to the company's existing video, voice, chat, and SMS applications. I was drawn to it because it's intended for business users, especially small business users. (Note that there's nothing stopping anyone and everyone from using the site, though it doesn't offer much for personal use.) I like what I see so far. The site is clean and easy to use. There seem to be limitless possibilities for the kinds of "opportunities" you can create or find. Opportunities, the lifeblood of the site, are basically pitches or queries that users post in hopes of connecting with other users who are interested in what they have to say. (Sound familiar?) But rather than simply generating the longest possible list of connections, which may or may not have any real meaning or value, SITW is designed to facilitate actual meetings between businesspeople. Skype, of course, already has the video and voice calling tools in place to make those meetings happen. Once users connect via an opportunity, they become Skype contacts as well. SITW might be particularly well-suited to global-minded businesses given Skype's international footprint, though that's by no means a requirement. A tip: If you're interested in meeting with people from only certain countries or continents, say so in the opportunity description to help ensure you're connecting with people in the right markets. The site's visible weakness currently is simply that there are a limited number of users and opportunities. No great surprise there; Skype might be old hat, but SITW is brand new. While the potential applications of the opportunity framework are reasonably limitless (as long as they're legal), they're a bit heavy on the promotional side at the moment. Nothing wrong with sales -- no business survives without them -- but it will be interesting to see what other types of opportunities arise as the site expands. As with any community, much depends on its members. Skype had 500 small businesses participate in the closed beta. The company said it expects the community to quickly grow into the thousands now that it's generally available. That growth will be critical to address the lack of breadth and depth of the available opportunities. If you're looking for a reason to believe that improvement will come, here's one: 280 million people already actively use Skype services every month. As the Skype in the Workspace base grows, it seems likely that it will develop its own culture and unwritten codes of conduct. I can imagine, for example, an uncertain science developing around how to create compelling opportunities. Nitty-gritty variables such as selecting a proposed meeting duration might be fodder for future best-practice recommendations. In the meantime, Skype in the Workspace is worth a serious look from business users, especially those who are already using Skype at work. Here are nine ways in which I think SITW could help SMBs -- or any business-minded users.While Skype charges for services such as Skype-to-phone calling, Skype in the Workspace, like most social networks, is free to join and use. There's not much downside to giving it a try, especially if you're already using Skype and social sites like LinkedIn and Twitter at work. There's plenty of upside in Skype's huge user community, particularly the millions-strong segment that uses Skype for business. In fact, you don't even need a Skype account to try it -- you can sign in with your LinkedIn credentials. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>Skype users actually use the service. I signed in while writing this and found some 44 million people online; that's a representative fraction of the 280 million people, give or take, who use Skype each month. While Skype can't point to a specific number of people who use the platform for business, it estimates that it's easily in the millions. Skype in the Workspace helps you find those folks in one place and interact with them as an audience -- something that wasn't particularly easy to do before. "What this enables you to do is tap into that Skype network and make that instant connection," said Ural Cebeci, Skype's head of SMB marketing, in an interview. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>Skype in the Workspace content will be searchable online. The opportunities you create -- which form <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">the core feature</a> of the platform -- will appear in relevant search results on Google, Bing, and elsewhere. So, too, will user profile pages. For example, an opportunity created by beta user Mark Ralphs, of the UK-based digital strategy firm Ralphs McIntosh and Partners, appears on page one of a Google search for "Mark Ralphs consultant" -- right alongside his company's homepage and one of its Slideshare presentations. Related searches produce similar results, with SITW mixed in among the firm's Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Quora and other online presences. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/seo-for-smbs-7-timely-tips/240003219">SEO junkies</a>, take note. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>Whereas sites like Quora and, to a lesser extent, Twitter tend to frown upon overt sales and marketing spiels, Skype encourages them out of the gate. Scroll through the opportunities on the home page -- Skype curates the appearance of that content -- and you'll find that most of them are pitches for products and services. If Skype in the Workspace succeeds in building an engaged community of business professionals -- and that's still a big if at this point -- it could become a significant source of leads, especially for businesses that sell to other businesses. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>Those leads become even more valuable when the initial connection becomes an actual conversation facilitated by Skype's video, voice, and other communications. For businesses, online connections (or followers or fans) often stay in the realm of the relatively anonymous and not particularly useful. If you've ever felt like your social business activities aren't all that, well, social, then the Skype model -- which encourages initial connections to pursue follow-up meetings via video conference or voice call -- should hold a great deal of appeal. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>Making connections doesn't only have to mean sales. The online era makes it easier than ever for smaller companies to pursue strategic partnership opportunities all over the world. The same holds true for finding and vetting suppliers, vendors, distributors and related entities. Skype's ability to foster fast meetings with potential partners and gauge whether there's a potential fit from strategic and cultural perspectives could prove far more productive than surfing websites or trading faceless emails. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>The virtual, mobile workforce has forced HR pros and hiring managers to rethink the traditional face-to-face interview. That led to the rise of <a href="http://blog.simplyhired.com">the Skype interview</a> -- a common occurrence in hiring situations these days when the employer and the candidate aren't located in the same area. Skype in the Workspace seems to offer a natural extension of that function; hiring managers and recruiters could easily turn an opportunity into a job opportunity, soliciting meetings with prospective talent. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>The bottom-line instinct might be to always push opportunities out to the community in search of customers, partners, employees and so on. But opportunities might work just as well as a way of asking questions or seeking help with business challenges. That's not unlike how someone might tweet a business-related question, or post it in a relevant LinkedIn Group, or ask it on Quora. But Skype has the added benefit of being able to connect people directly via video and voice. That removes a degree of anonymity, lets you see and hear who is answering your question, and adds more humanity to the process. Questions are natural conversation starters. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>While the launch version of Skype in the Workspace has a decidedly sales-y bent, the opportunity template is wide open in terms of use cases. As the number of active business users grows, it seems likely that more people will use it simply as a way to connect with other people in business contexts. You might look for a speaker for one of your company's conference panels, for example, or someone to play guinea pig for a new product or market idea. It seems possible to apply the opportunity rubric to a vast number of jobs and business tasks. Here's one close to home, or at least the home office: I can use Skype in the Workspace to find good interview sources for stories I'm writing. Recommended Reading: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/skype-in-the-workspace-3-key-facts/240062618">Skype In The Workspace: 3 Key Facts</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">4 Uses For Videoconferencing Beyond Cutting Costs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-hurdles-for-smbs/240009654">Windows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBs</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">LinkedIn Profile Changes: What You Should Know</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/consumer-services/skype-has-a-future-in-the-enterprise/232901034">Skype Has A Future In The Enterprise</a> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">Microsoft SkyDrive Vs. Dropbox, Google: Hands-On</a>2012-11-12T13:49:00Z3 Virtual LAN Tips For SMBsVirtual LANs aren't just for large organizations with multiple departments. Consider these three scenarios for how they might benefit smaller office environments.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240115335?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_AuthorsBuckle up: We're taking a look at VLANs today. "The VLAN is probably the least sexy topic you're ever going to talk about," said James Gudeli, VP of business development at the IT infrastructure firm <a href="http://www.kerio.com/">Kerio Technologies</a>. Wait, why are we talking about this? VLANs, short for virtual local area networks, might not be cocktail party material, but they have compelling uses for smaller office environments. (If VLANs are your cocktail party material, you need new cocktail party material. Fast.) Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) deal with security, big data, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/does-byod-make-sense-for-smbs/240007616">BYOD</a> and related issues, too. Users -- even when there are fewer of them -- come with their own set of challenges and needs, and they're rarely uniform. VLANs can be an effective tool for better managing those users and what they do on a corporate network. "What a VLAN allows you to do is, with an existing single switch or network infrastructure, to have multiple virtual <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subnetwork">subnets</a> that you can segregate from each other for a variety of reasons," Gudeli said. For a quick primer or refresher course on VLANs, Gudelli also recommends <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&v=9LHwbuWz1UM">this brief video</a> from Cisco's Jimmy Ray Pursur. [ Is your IT "department" just you? See what happens <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/when-it-becomes-a-one-man-show/240044402?itc=edit_in_body_cross">When IT Becomes A One Man Show</a>. ] The upside in a VLAN relative to its traditional older sibling, the physical LAN, is that organizations can segregate portions of their network without necessarily having to invest in a bunch of expensive networking gear. "[Small businesses] are going to complain about buying one switch, much less two or three or four," Gudeli said. The VLAN's basic ability to split a network into segments underpins these three scenarios in which SMBs might want to consider using one. Here they are, with a specific example of each. 1. Separating Data Gudeli notes that VLANs were originally intended as a means to improve quality of service on networks. That still holds true. "With all these different services running on your network, there's a lot of chatter, a lot of broadcast traffic going across the network which can impact the performance of a service that needs more bandwidth," Gudeli said, adding: "It doesn't matter how small your business is. You probably <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/will-broadband-internet-metering-hurt-sm/240004335">don't have the same Internet connectivity</a> as an enterprise, so it's just as precious to you to maintain the quality of that. A VLAN is one way to maintain that quality of service." Example: VoIP phone systems. VoIP is a popular choice among SMBs for cost and ease-of-use reasons, but it can also be bandwidth intensive. "If you can segregate your voice phones into a separate subnet, you can restrict all other traffic going to those specific devices, and so you can improve the performance." 2. Separating Users It can be tough -- or totally impossible -- to physically separate users in a small office environment. Shared or open offices, small spaces and other physical limitations are common. That's true at Kerio itself after a recent office move, according to Gudelli. VLANs offer a way to keep users separate on the network even if they're side-by-side in the office. And user groups don't have to be big -- just two will do, if there's a good reason for it. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/5-flame-security-lessons-for-smbs/240001377">Security</a> and access restriction are often reasons for segregating user groups. Sometimes it's more a matter of segmenting groups by job function for network optimization and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-bandwidth-management-tips-for-smbs/240004581">bandwidth management</a> purposes. Example: These depend on the business and how it's organized, but you can likely imagine reasons to segregate just about any traditional department. Finance is a common example, HR another. There's a case to be made for any user group that handles <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/how-to-handle-a-data-breach-5-tips-for-s/240006748">sensitive data</a>. But the data or job functions don't have to be particularly high risk. It may make sense to segment a creative team that regularly handles large media files, Gudeli noted, for network performance reasons. 3. Separating Both Data And Users In some settings, there's good reason to separate both users and data altogether, such as in retail businesses that offer public Wi-Fi. You don't want your customers' iPad traffic intermingling with your payroll or HR systems, not just for security reasons but for performance reasons, too. Again, VLANs can be a tool for keeping public and private apart. Example: Gudeli laid out this relatively straightforward scenario for creating a public external network and private internal network. This involves a single VLAN switch and two wireless access points; each WAP gets a unique name, such as Public and Private; each connects to separate ports on the VLAN switch, such ports 7 and 8; both are configured as separate VLANs, as in VLAN ID 7 and VLAN ID 8; finally, the VLAN switch is also configured to tag network traffic with the appropriate VLAN ID so that the switch can tell the firewall "this traffic comes from that network" and vice versa. "By associating each WAP to a separate VLAN ID, the firewall can identify wireless [and other] devices on the guest network, and can therefore apply a unique set of filtering and bandwidth policies," Gudeli said. "Meanwhile, the VLAN switch will ensure that the guest network cannot interact with resources on the internal networks, such as a file server, intranet or network printer."2012-11-08T09:06:00ZSkype In The Workspace: 3 Key FactsMicrosoft's popular Skype videoconferencing service officially goes social with a professional network for SMBs. Here's what you need to know.http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/240062618?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors<div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/galleries/mobile/6-ways-iphone-5-ios-6-amp-up-social-oppo/240008245"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/878/ios6_image_full.png" alt="Six Ways The iPhone 5 and iOS 6 Amp Up Social Opportunities" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Six Ways The iPhone 5 and iOS 6 Amp Up Social Opportunities</div>(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>Skype is getting down to business. Small business, that is. The widely used service owned by Microsoft on Thursday rolled out <a href="http://workspace.skype.com">Skype in the Workspace</a>, a free tool for small businesses to connect and collaborate with potential customers, partners, consultants and other external parties online. You won't hear Skype call the service a social network, per se, but it does bear some of the familiar trappings of social sites. It's all about making connections and developing relationships online, in large part by tapping into the 280 million people that use Skype's online videoconferencing, calling, chat, text messaging, and other services. Like <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/linkedin-how-to-take-advantage-of-recent/240044429">LinkedIn</a>, Skype in the Workspace is for professionals and their business-specific uses -- rather than their family photos and reactions to Tuesday's presidential election. "Most of the stories you probably hear in the media [about Skype] are more personal stories, like people talking to their grandma or there's a new baby in the family," said Ural Cebeci, Skype's head of SMB marketing, in an interview. "At the same time, there are millions of businesses that use Skype to run their businesses." Let's get up to speed. Here are three basic facts about Skype in the Workspace that small and mid-size business (SMB) professionals need to know. 1. You've Got Another Marketing Channel. Skype is a massive platform. Its 280 million users made more than 120 billion minutes of calls in the third quarter of 2012 alone. Part of Skype in the Workspace's raison d'etre is to help turn at least part of that activity hive into an audience. [ Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/microsoft-folds-windows-live-messenger-i/240062585?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Microsoft Folds Windows Live Messenger Into Skype</a>. ] "It's an extension of what [SMBs] do on Skype already," Cebeci said. "What this enables you to do is tap into that Skype network and make that instant connection." That starts with a Skype in the Workspace profile, which is a short, clean page of basic information about your business, not unlike a LinkedIn company page or a Google+ for Business page. The page includes your name, a company name, or both; logo or other image; email and Web addresses; location; and Twitter handle. Profiles are the face of the business on Skype in the Workspace. They also can be made public so that they're found in search results on Google, Bing and elsewhere. The opportunities -- more on those below in number two -- and other content a business creates also will be included in <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/seo-for-smbs-7-timely-tips/240003219">Web search results</a>. 2. The Opportunities Are Knocking. The core feature of Skype in the Workspace is the "opportunity." Businesses create them; other users respond to opportunities that interest them. When you create an opportunity, it appears under a standard intro of "[Your name] wants to meet about ..." The business then enters a title, a suggested meeting duration such as 30 minutes, and a description of the proposed opportunity. Opportunities also can include a photo or short video. The closed beta, which included 500 SMBs, listed this 15-minute opportunity, for example: "Could you use Pinterest to market your business? Free question and answer session." Other users interested in the opportunity would click "Connect." This generates a customizable message and connection request. Once sent, both users are connected on Skype and can schedule a meeting at their discretion. Businesses that create opportunities can track the number of times they're viewed, the number of users who have expressed interest, and the number of users who have marked the opportunity as a favorite. Opportunities are ultimately about creating "quick, easy, casual and natural meetings," Cebeci said. The possibilities are vast; according to Cebeci, Skype won't be particularly heavy-handed in regulating the type or tone of legitimate opportunities that businesses decide to list. A salesperson or marketer might drool over how opportunities could be used to generate and qualify leads. Partnership development, recruiting, product testing and a host of other business tasks come to mind, too. Cebeci noted, too, that SMBs can tap into expertise and consulting services -- sometimes for free -- by pursuing opportunities listed by other firms. So a small retailer stumped by a technology problem or a accounting issue, for example, could seek answers and advice from a fellow Skype in the Workspace user.3. It Could Be More Social Than Your Social Networks. Because Skype in the Workspace overlays the platform's various communications services, it might actually make you more social -- even if you won't see the word "social" in Skype's marketing copy. That's because opportunities can lead not just to connections with legions of relatively anonymous Internet users but directly to conversations with actual people. LinkedIn, for one, has taken steps in that direction by making phone numbers more apparent in <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/linkedin-profile-changes-what-you-should/240006005">its recent revamp</a>. But Skype provides the actual phone or <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-uses-for-videoconferencing-beyond-cutt/231000624">videoconference</a> line, too. "Making that easy connection and then connecting on Skype and taking the conversation from there seems to be very powerful," Cebeci said. "That's what we heard from the beta customers as well." Social SMBs should find other elements of Skype's new service familiar, too. Users can offer testimonials about a business and its opportunities or other services, for example -- similar to how LinkedIn users can <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/what-linkedin-endorsements-mean-to-you/240008448">endorse each others' skills</a>. Opportunities can be "favorite-d," as with favorite tweets or Facebook Likes. Then there's the simple fact that compelling opportunities will create connections -- by any name, they remain the core currency of social networks. And there's the most obvious social element: Links with other well-known networks. At launch, Skype in the Workplace includes integrations with LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+. When you create an opportunity, you can simultaneously promote it across those networks. Facebook is conspicuously absent from Skype in the Workspace, although it could be added later. For now, the omission is by design. "Given the professional nature of this, LinkedIn and Twitter seemed to be the most appropriate," Cebeci said. Attackers are increasingly using a simple method for finding flaws in websites and applications: They Google them. Using Google code search, hackers can identify crucial vulnerabilities in application code strings, providing the entry point they need to break through application security. In our report, <a href="http://www.darkreading.com/VulnerabilityManagement/util/7786/download.html?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe">Using Google To Find Vulnerabilities In Your IT Environment</a>, we outline methods for using search engines such as Google and Bing to identify vulnerabilities in your applications, systems and services--and to fix them before they can be exploited. (Free registration required.)2012-11-05T10:19:00ZWhen IT Becomes A One Man ShowInvestment firm Hearthstone laid off its IT team during the economic downturn. CTO Rob Meltz turned to cloud services and virtualization to keep the business running and growing.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240044402?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/20-great-ideas-to-steal/240006553"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/860/01_Intro_tn.jpg" alt="20 Great Ideas To Steal" title="20 Great Ideas To Steal" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">20 Great Ideas To Steal</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>  Like plenty of people and organizations, the institutional investment firm <a href="http://www3.hearthstone.com/Public/Default.aspx">Hearthstone</a> was hit hard by the 2008 financial crisis. Its business -- managing assets for pension funds, endowments, Fortune 100 firms and other large clients -- was kicked directly in the teeth. Add to that the fact that Hearthstone invests exclusively in residential real estate development and, well, the math isn't that difficult. The sobering results: Three rounds of layoffs in as many years. At its peak, Hearthstone had 80 people across four offices; today, it has 28. Hearthstone's five-person IT department became a one-man show: CTO Rob Meltz. The executive is now all things IT, relying on consultants and other outsourced help when the workload exceeds the available human resources. In other words: Him. You don't often hear a company tell the remaining employees after a downsizing: It's OK to get less done. Hearthstone was no exception. The firm has managed more than $12 billion in real estate investments. IT is more than a help desk. "When I lost those people, I didn't lose servers," Meltz said. "We lost some transactions, but we still had staff to support, [and] we still had servers and infrastructure to support. I just no longer had four additional souls helping me." [ Is there a role for Windows? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBs</a>. ] In an interview, Meltz discussed the changes he made to ensure his gutted department could continue to support the business -- and that he could still get some sleep. "Doing more with less" went from everyday cliche to everyday reality. Meltz credits virtualization and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/how-one-smb-rewrote-it-starring-cloud/240006953">cloud services</a> as the twin pillars that kept things up and running. The strategic use of consultants for initiatives like Hearthstone's business intelligence deployment with IBM's Cognos, which is currently underway, has also played a part. The same IT shift that enabled survival is now supporting growth -- the company came through the crisis and is now expanding again. Here are the key specifics on what Meltz did to adapt to life without a team. Server virtualization. Step one for Meltz was to virtualize using VMware; doing so, Hearthstone has halved the physical servers it maintains from 18 to nine. Meltz has also been able to eliminate $1,800 per month in expenses but cutting the company's outsourced co-located servers and virtualizing them instead. "Virtualization is probably [behind] 70% of all initiatives that I have going right now," Meltz said. Cloud time and billing. Hearthstone's legacy time and billing application was one of its more labor-intensive systems from an IT support standpoint. The previous time-and-billing system alone used to take up nearly three-quarters of one employee's full-time job, according to Meltz. He opted for Harvest's online system as a replacement. Set-up and deployment took one day, and it was so well-received by employees that the case for additional cloud services was much easier to make. "That's one less major application for me to support," Meltz said. Virtualized accounting system. Meltz has virtualized the company's accounting system, another labor-intensive legacy application, and is now considering moving it into Microsoft's Azure cloud for additional streamlining. Outsourced remote monitoring and management. Keeping a network up-and-running 24-7 without a staff isn't a particularly appealing challenge, nor the best use of Meltz's time. He signed on with Continuum for remote monitoring and management services instead.Cloud backup and storage. Disaster recovery is a significant priority for Hearthstone. Compliance with financial industry regulations is one major reason. Earthquakes are another -- three of Hearthstone's offices are in California. The company is now in the process of dumping its old tape backups and offsite storage in favor of cloud backup with StorageCraft's ShadowProtect and cloud storage with Egnyte. VoIP communications. Hearthstone swapped out its phone system for a VoIP platform last year. "That meant I no longer had a legacy PBX where you needed specialized talent to support it," Meltz said. "VoIP is just so much easier, and I could integrate that into our existing infrastructure." Cloud filesharing and sync. Like lots of other small and midsize businesses (SMBs), Hearthstone's team is spread across multiple locations. Enabling everyone to access, share and -- perhaps most importantly -- sync files on and off the corporate network is one of the company's most pressing tech needs. "The biggest headache I had was [supporting] four offices and about a dozen people out of those various offices roaming around in the field, using the 'old-style' method," Meltz said. That method involved Microsoft's offline files feature and a VPN. The process was often slow and cumbersome; it also relied heavily on user action -- not usually the most foolproof IT strategy. "The problem was that we had over 250,000 files that had to be synced across our mobile users," Meltz said. "These are the guys that do analytics for our company. They do $100 million deals and they need to have that information [in] their hands when they need it." Meltz picked EMC's Syncplicity from an increasingly crowded field of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/dropbox-anxiety-watchdox-tries-to-ease-c/240002732">business-oriented providers</a> like Box.net and Citrix's ShareFile. Now the necessary files -- the company has roughly 1 TB of data on its file servers -- are synced automatically with no user intervention. Meltz was drawn to Syncplicity for several reasons. He found it easy to administer as a single person with minimal time; the platform's security protocols satisfy his auditors, among others; and Syncplicity can overlay an existing file-and-folder structure -- Meltz simply designates which folders and sub-folders he wants shared and synced -- rather than requiring administrators or users to move files to a special sync folder. Another appeal: Meltz has been able to cut back his disaster recovery spending elsewhere -- around $20,000 annually with SunGard -- because the data is now online. "I no longer need to worry about having servers to rebuild after an earthquake," he said. "I can simply point users to an Internet connection and their files are there, and it's an automated process." In a sense, Hearthstone's Syncplicity adoption has become a poster-child application for its cloud usage. Meltz now credits the platform for unintended benefits, such as better enabling a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/does-byod-make-sense-for-smbs/240007616">bring-your-own-device (BYOD)</a> office. "I've been a big advocate of [BYOD], but prior to Syncplicity my hands were tied," Meltz said. "There was nothing that I could afford to do as a small shop to really be a promoter of [BYOD], and now I can." A native iOS client allows employees to use iPhones and iPads to access corporate data; Meltz is comfortable with that because it doesn't require any additional effort on IT's part, and he can remotely wipe the data from a lost or stolen device. Meltz added that he's in the process of considering allowing <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/android-40-gains-on-older-operating-syst/240012755">Android</a> and eventually <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/microsoft-to-build-its-own-windows-phone/240012727">Windows 8 devices</a> on the network as well. While Hearthstone's VPN traffic has dropped dramatically with its increased cloud reliance, there has been a seesaw effect on <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/4-bandwidth-management-tips-for-smbs/240004581">bandwidth consumption</a>. The firm last week put in an order with its ISP to more than double bandwidth from four T-1 lines to 10 bundled together.2012-11-01T11:36:00ZWindows 8 Hardware Shopping AdventuresWhere should SMBs buy new Windows 8 devices? Here are 6 lessons learned from my dive into retail and online options. http://www.informationweek.com/news/240012697?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/microsoft-pop-up-stores-hands-on-look/240012472"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/891/1_tn.jpg" alt="Microsoft Pop-Up Stores: Hands-On Look" title="Microsoft Pop-Up Stores: Hands-On Look" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">Microsoft Pop-Up Stores: Hands-On Look</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>  I'm in the camp that thinks if you're going to take the Windows 8 plunge, you should also upgrade your hardware. Sure, I could run Windows 8 on my current laptop. But that doesn't mean I should. An optimal Windows 8 experience <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">includes touch</a>, no matter the form factor. As Cindy Bates, Microsoft's VP for small and midsize business, told me in a recent interview about Microsoft's broader SMB strategy, "Touch is absolutely how Windows 8 comes alive." For me and many other Windows users, touch means a hardware upgrade. I've <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">decided to stay put</a> with Windows 7 for now, but I do see <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">the upsides</a> in Windows 8. So the recent launch-related fanfare got me wondering: If I did buy new Windows 8 gear, where would I go to find the best deal? Like a lot of small businesses and self-employed professionals, I'd buy at retail rather than on a commercial account. And like most big-ticket retail purchases, it would be well worth my time to shop around for the best combination of price and configuration. So I went window -- er, Windows -- shopping. In a nutshell, I wasn't wowed by my Windows 8 retail experiences, online or off. I found no <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeldwfOwuL8">Godfather offers</a>. That's not too shocking with new technology. You'll find more discounts on Windows 7 hardware, though I definitely didn't see any fire sales. [ Get expert guidance on Microsoft Windows 8. InformationWeek's <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/windows8/232700509?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8 Super Guide</a> rounds up the key news, analysis, and reviews that you need. ] Based on my browsing, however, here are six things I would keep in mind if I wanted to buy Windows 8 hardware today. 1. I would wonder where all the ultrabooks and tablets are. I'm predisposed to purchasing PCs and related hardware online. But with the combination of the Windows 8's new "Modern UI" and a dizzying menu of new hardware options -- all-in-ones, touch PCs, ultrabooks, tablets, and hybrid models -- I was curious to see some in-store retail displays and find out if they increased my interest in Windows 8. I stopped by a Best Buy near me. The electronics chain is leveraging its existing trade-in program, offering "at least $100" to buyers who trade in a working laptop and purchase a new ultrabook. There are, of course, conditions -- for example, Best Buy must have carried your trade-in model in the past. Also, you have to go to a brick-and-mortar store. (Best Buy offers a <a href="http://www.bestbuytradein.com/bb/calculators.cfm">trade-in estimator</a> online.) For all the hubbub about ultrabooks -- Intel has said it expects to see 110 of them on the market in 2013 -- I found only four Windows models at the Best Buy I visited. And speaking of hubbub, tablets were even scarcer: I actually found no Windows devices, just a slew of Android-based models and an Apple display. The Windows hardware was still dominated by laptops and desktops, including touch-screen models. A sales associate eventually passed by while I was gawking and asked if I needed help. I said I was interested in Windows 8 and asked if the models on display were all they had. (I did not identify myself as a reporter.) Indeed, it was. I asked if they were running any promotions around the launch. She said they were offering a discount on Geek Squad services for Windows 8 purchases. (I'm pretty sure it's the <a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Computing-Promotions/Tech-Support-Offer/pcmcat277000050006.c?id=pcmcat277000050006">same offer</a> they're offering on non-Windows 8 gear, too.) And I asked if they'd been selling much Windows 8 stuff. She thought about it for a few seconds and said, "We have." I thanked her, and that was that. I also stopped in the neighboring OfficeMax because I noticed the "Windows Reimagined" sign in its storefront. There I found only one ultrabook: a Windows 7 model from Toshiba, selling for $749. (Seems a bit steep for hardware that is already obsolete.) There were no tablets in sight, nor was there anyone who seemed likely to ask what I was looking for, so I left. Finally, I whisked through a Wal-Mart in the same commercial complex, but its computing section resembled an island of misfit PCs. I mentioned my brief, dissatisfying retail experience in an email exchange with <a href="http://www.techaisle.com/">Techaisle</a> CEO Anurag Agrawal. His response: "Business PCs are not available at retail stores." Well then. 2. I would buy online. Indeed, I've never purchased a business PC in a physical store. And I wouldn't start with Windows 8; I see no upside in buying off the shelf. Online, the supply is obviously much greater -- but it helps to know what you're looking for. Otherwise you'll spend a ton of time parsing through a dizzying amount of search results, reviews, recommendations and so forth. Search "Windows 8" on sites like Newegg.com or even an aggregator like Google Shopping, and suddenly filters and keywords become precious commodities. Amazon.com has tablet fever, though it's not pumping Windows hardware on the homepage. Rather, it has been pitting the Kindle Fire HD against the iPad Mini in a side-by-side comparison graphic. (Guess who wins?) Some cursory searches there were a bit puzzling. "Windows 8 PC" returned a hodgepodge list that included a Seagate external hard drive fourth on the list and something called a "Skytab S-series Windows 7 Tablet PC with ExoPC UI" in fifth place. "Windows 8 tablet" produced slightly more relevant results, with an emphasis on slightly. Page one of nearly 18,000 results included anime production software and the aforementioned Skytab tablet. When you do find an actual Windows 8 device, like Acer's Iconia line, don't expect Amazon's usual price cuts. (The Iconia models were out of stock, to boot.) The best bet: Do your homework on form factors and configurations, decide what you need, and then figure out which manufacturers make it. I've found a tried-and-true formula is to shop the manufacturer's site directly while checking deal-hunter sites like <a href="http://www.deals2buy.com/">Deals2Buy</a> or <a href="http://www.retailmenot.com">Retailmenot</a> before completing the purchase. Don't expect many deals on brand-new Windows 8 devices -- they're non-existent at the moment, as far as I can tell -- but you will find discount codes for Windows 7 models. Online or off, you're going to pay the early adoption tax for Windows 8 hardware right now; my guess is that won't change until next year. (And if you've got a better buying method, by all means, do share.) The online purchasing route requires a good dose of the do-it-yourself ethic. Short of that, SMBs interested in Windows 8 are likely going to rely heavily on the vast universe known as "the channel" -- third-party IT providers that many smaller businesses rely on for support -- to advise them on what to buy. That might be good news for Microsoft, which currently counts around 10,000 such partners in its fold, according to Bates. 3. I would check out a Microsoft Store before buying anything. I've been somewhat skeptical of the increasing number of physical Microsoft Stores; the pop-up versions, in particular, seem a little gimmicky. But they have been getting generally <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-momentum-will-pop-up-stores-he/240012472">positive reviews</a>. Beyond the obvious consumer angle, Bates told me Microsoft is allowing some of its partners to hold customer events in Microsoft Stores, adding that there are currently 59 of them and counting. The partner events are often aimed at helping SMBs get a better handle on Windows 8. I haven't been to the store in my area yet, but after looking elsewhere I'm starting to think I should. "Check out the Microsoft stores," Techaisle's Agrawal advised. "They are really good."4. I would be tempted to keep things simple with the Surface. To Microsoft's credit, one of the more straightforward pitches out there, in my view, is for its own Surface tablet <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-vs-windows-rt-8-key-difference/240006106">running Windows RT</a>. Of course, all three models are backordered by three weeks in the online Microsoft Store, and there's the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-the-legacy-apps-question/240010586">legacy apps issue</a>. But Surface presents the clearest, cleanest set of choices: Three models for three prices: $499, $599, and $699. That's the menu. (I wonder <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/the-apple-ization-of-microsoft/240009719">where they got that idea?</a>) Surface seems like the "safe" pick for a Windows-based tablet at the moment, and that's bolstered by some <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/tablets/surface-with-windows-rt-a-winner-despite/240012475">solid reviews</a>. 5. If I were taking the touch PC plunge, I would go big. A potential positive from my generally blah retail experience: I was impressed by some of the large-screen desktops and all-in-ones. I'm still unsure why I'd want a touchscreen laptop, but the larger touch monitors, like HP's 20-inch Envy TouchSmart all-in-one and Dell's 23-inch Inspiron all-in-one, kept catching my eye. With the right mix of apps and non-mobile use cases, a giant screen (relative to a smartphone or tablet) is enticing. The price tags--$899 and $999 for the HP and the Dell, respectively--are a bit hard to justify, especially given that they're basic configurations better suited to home users. Businesses that want more memory, a bigger hard drive, and other specs are going to pay more. If I'm eventually swayed by the touch PC, I'd get greedy for as much real estate as possible -- like the 27-inch touchscreens currently offered by Lenovo and Dell's XPS line. These carry hefty price tags in the $1,500 neighborhood, something that inspires a bit of sticker shock given the downward trend in desktop popularity. But the large-screen touch experience stuck with me. It will just take some time to connect my imagination to a bottom-line ROI. 6. I would not be in a huge hurry. The best bet for Windows 8 buyers? Take your time. The best hardware, apps, and prices are probably yet to come. If I had to upgrade now, I'd try to do so incrementally -- a single department in a 50-person company, for example, or a single device for an individual user like me. Plenty of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/8-cool-windows-8-tablets/240010621">cool new devices</a> have been announced but not yet released. The <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-100000-windows-8-apps-coming/240008677">apps are coming</a>, but they'll take some time. I'm also curious to see what happens to retail hardware prices if Windows 8 isn't a hit with consumers. A recent <a href="http://ap-gfkpoll.com/uncategorized/our-latest-poll-findings-14">Associated Press/GfK poll</a> suggests that scenario is quite plausible. More than half of the 1,200 U.S. adults surveyed hadn't even heard of Windows 8, in spite of a steady diet of TV ads and other marketing. Upgrading isn't the easy decision that Win 7 was. We take a close look at Server 2012, changes to mobility and security, and more in the new <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/092412/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Here Comes Windows 8</a> issue of InformationWeek. Also in this issue: Why you should have the difficult conversations about the value of OS and PC upgrades before discussing Windows 8. (Free registration required.)2012-10-25T12:26:00ZWindows 8: 4 Upsides For SMBsWhat can Microsoft's new OS deliver to small and midsize businesses? Consider the mobile device angles, for starters.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240010007?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/reviews/8-key-differences-between-windows-8-and/240006106"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/855/01_Intro_WindowsRT_tn.jpg" alt="8 Key Differences Between Windows 8 And Windows RT" title="8 Key Differences Between Windows 8 And Windows RT" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">8 Key Differences Between Windows 8 And Windows RT</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>  With any major tech launch there's sure to be major hubbub. Microsoft's Windows 8 release is no exception. Let's cut through the commotion to consider four potential upsides Windows 8 offers SMBs and their employees. Some of these--numbers one and four in particular--emphasize potential. Factors such as the nascent menu of Windows 8 apps will have a significant bearing on whether these advantages become reality. Other potential benefits point to new features that users may welcome with open arms. 1. A Legitimate iPad Alternative. Businesses that have embraced tablets to date have really had only once choice: Apple's iPad. OK, that's not actually true; there are a host of Android-based devices out there. But none have anywhere near the traction of the iPad, which will account for more than 62% of tablet shipments in 2012, according to IDC. The research firm, for one, doesn't expect <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-vs-windows-rt-8-key-difference/240006106">Windows 8 and Windows RT</a> tablets to unseat iPad from its throne, but it does predict Windows will grow from just 4% of the tablet segment this year to <a href="http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23696912">11% in 2016</a>. Windows 8 might give SMBs a viable long-term alternative to iPad. [ Get expert guidance on Microsoft Windows 8. InformationWeek's <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/windows8/232700509?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8 Super Guide</a> rounds up the key news, analysis, and reviews that you need. ] A key variable here will be the apps. If <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/windows-8-tablets-computex-sneak-peek/240001555">Windows-based tablets</a> can offer a robust set of business apps, including purpose-built tools for specific industries, then SMBs might have real reason to pass on the more popular iPad. Top-notch business apps would also offer a clear advantage over the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-seeks-better-android-tablet-apps/240008751">current state of Android tablet apps</a>. There's reason to think those apps are coming: They represent a significant new market for Microsoft's large ecosystem of integrated software vendors (ISVs) and similar partners, many of whom counts SMBs as their primary customer base. 2. Under-the-Hood Improvements. The most immediately noticeable change in Windows 8 is the updated look-and-feel, particularly the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">touch-centric</a>, tiles-based "Modern UI" (formerly known as Metro). But pop the hood and you'll find the new OS is no superficial makeover. "Windows 8 has a lot of great features that have nothing to do with Metro," reader Erik notes in an email. Erik's a Windows guy; he half-jokes that he's old enough to have used DOS-4, Windows 2/386, and Windows 95 when it was still code-named Chicago. Among the Windows 8 features Erik's happy about: "Performance improvements, kernel improvements (better SSD, multi-core, etc.), Client Hyper-V (huge for anyone who uses virtual machines on their desktop a lot; it's like getting VMware for free), improvements to the UI in areas like the Task Manager and File Copy, Storage Spaces (I love this feature, it's like my beloved Windows Home Server v1), better multi-monitor support (individual wallpapers and mirrored taskbar are my favorites), [and] File History." Other InformationWeek readers have reported Windows 8 runs faster than previous versions, not just at startup but overall. There are security improvements, too. BitLocker hard drive encryption, for example, is included with Windows 8 Professional edition, which might be the version of choice for many SMBs. (BitLocker is available only with Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows 7.) 3. Better Backup and Sync. Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud backup service is about to get its turn in the spotlight, thanks to an integrated Windows 8 app. The app means users will be able to access, modify, and save files and other data both locally and to SkyDrive without much fuss. That's a good thing for the mobile workforce, virtual offices, and SMBs that are prone to put off backup like it's a trip to the dentist. If everything is backed up and synced automatically, there's not much excuse for data loss or inaccessibility. The integration goes beyond file backup. It includes user settings and data such as browser history, too, so that they're synced and appear automatically across all hardware. A user with three devices linked to a SkyDrive account, for example, can make a change to a personalization setting on one and see it update automatically on the other two. In an interview, Jay Paulus, Microsoft's product marketing director for Windows and SMB, touted "how connected this stuff is, and how easy it's going to be to go from device to device and have your whole world be connected." 4. A Bridge Between Home and Office? In a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">recent interview</a>, Forrester business CTO Steve Peltzman noted that a recent Forrester survey found more than half of corporate employees think they have better tech at home than at work. "The home and work divide definitely screams to be closed," Peltzman said. Microsoft seems to get that. "We took that [Windows] foundation and added a whole lot of fun and easy on top of it," Paulus said. A big part of that, Paulus added, will be a single user experience across the hardware spectrum. "Anything from all-in-ones to notebooks to big desktops to tablets and convertibles--the whole idea that you've got the same experience across all these devices winds up being a big deal," Paulus said. "It just makes everything easier when it's all the same." Indeed, a potential upside here is the opportunity to do everything on a single platform. It's not really a single OS, as I've been calling it for the sake of convenience--Windows 8, Windows RT, and Window Phone 8 are separate but related versions. Let's call it the Windows 8 family. Apple might deliver a version of that single-platform experience, but only to a small subset of SMBs--just 16%, according to Techaisle, use Macs or Linux-based PCs. That slice shrinks in half when accounting for SMBs worldwide. Because Microsoft has lagged behind Apple and Google on the mobile front, many Windows shops have taken a hybrid approach--whether corporate-sponsored or BYOD--that involves a mix of devices, OSes, and applications. SMB professionals, especially those owners and executives who don't make much distinction between their work and personal lives, might welcome the opportunity to consolidate on a single platform. Microsoft is certainly hoping so. "SMB folks wear a lot of hats. One day they're the treasurer, one day they're the business development guy, the next day they're the sales guy, [and] in the evening they're going home and they're the soccer coach," Paulus said. "Having one device that fits into all those aspects of your life and can do all those tasks is a big deal." Upgrading isn't the easy decision that Win 7 was. We take a close look at Server 2012, changes to mobility and security, and more in the new <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/092412/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Here Comes Windows 8</a> issue of InformationWeek. Also in this issue: Why you should have the difficult conversations about the value of OS and PC upgrades before discussing Windows 8. (Free registration required.)2012-10-24T09:44:00ZWindows 8: 4 Hurdles For SMBsWindows 8 has a lot to like, but the road to adoption--especially early adoption--could be rocky for some small and midsize businesses.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240009654?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_Authors <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/reviews/8-key-differences-between-windows-8-and/240006106"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/855/01_Intro_WindowsRT_tn.jpg" alt="8 Key Differences Between Windows 8 And Windows RT" title="8 Key Differences Between Windows 8 And Windows RT" class="img175" /></a> <div class="storyImageTitle">8 Key Differences Between Windows 8 And Windows RT</div> (click image for larger view and for slideshow)</div>  The anticipation for Windows 8 is more than just hype. This is no minor update of Microsoft's flagship operating system, which runs on the lion's share of personal computers worldwide. Yet some of the same factors generating excitement about Windows 8--mobility and a sleek new look-and-feel are exhibits A and B--could also create high hurdles for some SMBs on the path to adoption. Those hurdles can be cleared provided you know they're coming. Here are four to consider as you work to avoid getting tripped up. 1. Still on XP. Windows XP is still widely loved--as evidenced by the fact that it's still widely used, even with <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-server-2008-support-lives-on-xp/240007952">Microsoft set to pull the plug on support</a> in April 2014. Depending on whose numbers and methodology you use, XP still powers between 20% and 40% of all PCs. That holds true when focusing only on SMB users: 24% of U.S.-based SMBs are still running XP, according to recent <a href="http://www.techaisle.com">Techaisle</a> data. That jumps to 43% of SMBs globally. SMBs still on XP face a more complex upgrade choice, because they'd be skipping two versions to get to the newest one. Some XP shops are already underway with a migration to Windows 7 or just recently completed one. Then there's the fact that XP users are likely using older hardware. Though it might meet the minimum technical requirements for Windows 8, that gear probably isn't going deliver a productive experience. Windows 8 simply wasn't developed for XP-era hardware. Can you upgrade directly from Windows XP to Windows 8? <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/straight-to-windows-8-7-tips-for-smbs/232900029">Yes</a>. Should you? Maybe, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/xp-to-windows-8-its-best-to-wait/240009494">maybe not</a>. Migrating to Windows 7 is generally viewed as the safer move for XP desktop and laptop users. (<a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-xp-to-windows-7-a-risky-path-mic/208402585">That wasn't always the case</a>.) [ If you are upgrading, plan carefully. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/processors/some-intel-based-tablets-flunk-windows-8/240009576?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Some Intel-Based Tablets Flunk Windows 8 Upgrade</a>. ] 2. Hardware costs. Even relatively new hardware won't necessarily be optimal. Microsoft acknowledges as much in its <a href="http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview">Windows 8 Release Preview</a> info. Windows 8 was <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">designed for touch</a>; legacy Windows equipment was not. Software upgrade prices <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/microsoft-news/microsoft-reveals-windows-8-upgrade-pric/240003119">may be palatable</a> for SMBs, but new hardware likely means a significant capital expenditure. The best Windows 8 experience will require new devices--touch-screen PCs, tablets, or some combination of the two. A reasonably optimal deployment might stick with non-touch PCs but still require investing in new tablets--that hardware simply didn't exist until now in Windows environments, so there's no such strategy as extending the hardware refresh cycle. 3. User disruption. Whether you're responsible for one person or 100--or 1,000 people, for that matter--there's no way around the fact that Windows 8 looks and feels much different than previous versions. The UI overhaul can be managed but not ignored. Some InformationWeek readers have pointed out the new UI isn't rocket science--it just takes a little getting used to. They're probably right; they're also probably more technical than the typical user. (If you've been using Windows 8 <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/article_240009279/permalink/comment/687796241">since day one</a>, that's you.) For everyone else, there's going to be a learning curve--something the IT pros who help them can't scoff at. Reader <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/article_240009279/permalink/comment/687656623">"Mark532010" notes</a> that while a teenager might not miss a beat with Windows 8, "for the existing non-expert people who use Windows to get their work done it will be a nightmare. ... It will be quite difficult for me as a support person." 4. BYOD office. Windows 8 could become a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-do-i-really-need-a-single-os/240008924">single platform</a> to bridge the gap between home and office. That would appeal to IT departments that don't want to deal with employee-owned iPads and other devices on the corporate network. Therein lies a Catch-22: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/does-byod-make-sense-for-smbs/240007616">Love or hate BYOD</a>, deploying Windows 8 is no easy fix. If you're in the "love" category, that means you probably have a cornucopia of devices and OSes on your network already; Windows 8 is just another one. If you're on the "hate" side of the BYOD spectrum, refer back to point number two. It's tough to enforce a no-BYOD policy without offering employees a company-issued alternative. It could get very expensive for SMBs to outfit their personnel for Windows 8, particularly if an employee needs multiple devices--PC, tablet, and phone. Theoretical BYOD salvation comes with a real cost.