March 2011
In this issue

> Small Office PBX
    Telephone Systems
> Employee Internet Use
> No Room for Risk
> Highly Effective IT
    Departments
> Wireless 101
> Business Continuity Tip
> Cartoon & Quote
 

Small Office PBX Telephone Systems: The Next Generation
used with permission from the Cisco Website

Small office PBX telephone systems aren't what they used to be. In fact, they're much more.

Next-generation small office PBX telephone systems offer the features of a conventional PBX (Private Branch Exchange). A conventional PBX shares and manages multiple lines within a company and automatically routes incoming calls to specific extensions. It requires two networks, one for data and another for voice.

But today's small office PBX telephone systems are often part of an advanced unified communications solution. These small office PBX telephone systems run on Internet Protocol (IP) networks, the same network your company uses for data and Internet connectivity. Instead of requiring two networks, next-generation small office PBX telephone systems only need one—which simplifies network management and administration costs.

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Do you know what your employees are doing on the Internet?
By Brian Renter, President, Universal Information Systems

The importance of the Internet to the daily operation of businesses and organizations has increased significantly over the past few years. Most companies have one or more critical business functions that depend entirely on the speed and availability of their Internet connection. Ensuring a reliable and fast Internet connection has become an almost universal priority for companies.

Unfortunately, many new recreational (or non-business) uses of the Internet have been developed that compete directly against a company's desire for a fast Internet connection.

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When Times are Tough, There's No Room for Risk
used with permission from the HP Midsize Business Center

Don't Stop fortifying against risk
Four ways to mitigate risk in a tough economy

Every business deals with risk. But medium-sized businesses, with smaller IT staff and tighter operating budgets are often more exposed to risk than larger companies. This reality is never more evident than in a down economy: When the repercussions of a business disruption are as grave as they are, how do you insulate your business from risk?

"For mid-sized businesses, the financial impact of business disruptions is tremendous," said Anil Miglani, senior vice president, AMI-Partners. "We estimate that through security breaches and data loss alone, medium-sized businesses worldwide lost approximately US$4.7 billion in 2008."

According to strategy consulting firm AMI-Partners, in 2008 medium-sized businesses worldwide lost approximately US$4.7 billion due to security breaches and loss of data.

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7 Habits of Highly Effective IT Departments
by Chris Geiser - [email protected] - PC Solutions, Inc.

It's been 20 years since Dr. Stephen Covey published his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today, I will take a look at those habits and see how they apply to IT Managers of 2010 and beyond.

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Steven Covey writes that your life doesn't just happen. Whether you know it or not, it is designed by you. Proactive people recognize that they are responsible for the outcome of their life. By contrast, reactive people are affected by their physical environment, often blaming their circumstance or even the weather for their mood and behavior.

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