Microsoft Windows 8 is built around security. From the moment a Windows 8 machine is powered on, integrated security features will protect your business’s IT infrastructure and data.

Security Matters

Because your business depends upon its IT resources to support its primary business functions, you need to know that both your IT systems and the data stored on it are secure. With Windows 8, Microsoft has developed a more secure operating system (OS). From the moment a workstation is powered on, it is protected through a secured boot up process. After boot up, OS implemented security features will continue to protect your computing resources and the data housed on them. Below, we have identified three new or improved Microsoft Windows 8 features that will benefit any business of any size.

Secure Boot will help protect a computer from the moment it powers on. Every time a computer is powered on, it is vulnerable to undetected root kits and other malware that will attack and hijack it before the OS can be loaded. This is a problem because antivirus solutions do not run until the OS is loaded—this means that the malware will remain active and unidentified on the computer. The secure boot feature of Windows 8 is designed to prevent this situation from happening by measuring the boot up process and only allowing signed, verified OS loaders to run during the boot up process. The secure boot feature will work on newer computers that are trusted platform module (TPM) based systems which contain an integrated chip that stores the measurements and signed credentials for the boot up process.

BitLocker has been upgraded for ease of use. BitLocker is a full disk encryption solution that now encrypts incrementally. In earlier versions of Windows which offered BitLocker, when BitLocker was enabled, it was programed to encrypt the entire hard drive all at once, regardless of how much of the drive actually contained data. The encryption process, depending on the size of the hard drive, could take a very long time to complete, which meant that some users would choose to skip the process, leaving the hard drive and its contents unprotected. In Windows 8, BitLocker performs incremental encryption which means that the drive is encrypted only where data is stored. Windows 8 BitLocker encrypts quickly enough that users are less likely to skip the encryption process.

AppLocker is an application that manages permission levels of users and allows them only to access files that match their granted permission levels. By assigning permission levels to users and to files, your business can ensure that accidental data modification and data exposure won’t happen. When AppLocker is used in an Active Directory environment that implements Directory Rights Management Services, security policies can easily be created and automatically enforced across your company’s complete domain as long as Group Policies are in use.

Learn more

To learn more about the new and improved security features available in Windows 8, or to learn about how Windows 8 can be customized to meet your business’s unique IT needs, please contact the Windows 8 experts at All Covered.

With Windows 8, Microsoft has figured out mobility. They have studied how your employees use mobile devices and watched how competitors addressed mobility. They have also put in countless hours and spent undisclosed amounts of money in their quest to develop an OS that will work on all of your company’s Windows devices while offering an intelligent user interface (UI) that will enhance users’ overall productivity on all computing devices.

The Best Mobility Features

With Windows 8, Microsoft appears to have blown away the physical boundaries that separated workstations and laptops from tablets, netbooks, and mobile phones. This translates into a mobile workforce that can work on any of their projects from anywhere in the world, as long as they have a Windows 8 device and a connection to the internet.

Touch screen optimization makes it possible for your mobile users to work with Windows 8 on their mobile devices. For Windows 8, Microsoft engineered a new UI called “Metro.” With Metro, Microsoft has converted the traditional Windows UI with its dropdown menus to a tile-based system through which users can easily navigate with the flick of a finger. The Metro UI makes using Windows on a touchscreen device a practical solution that will give users the same OS and UI experience regardless of what type of computing device they use. (Even though the Metro UI was developed with touchscreens in mind, Metro is also easy to access with a mouse and keyboard.)

Windows to Go makes it easy for your on-the-go employees to safely work anywhere, on any device with an internet connection. Windows to Go is a Windows 8 feature that allows your IT administrator to create an image of a user’s corporate Windows 8 profile on a USB flash drive which can be connected to any USB port on any computer that has an internet connection. After connecting the Windows to Go drive, the user can securely boot up the computer and access your company’s secure portal, information systems, and data without worrying about security risks because the hard drive of the computer is locked down while the Windows to Go drive is connected.

SkyDrive access through a Metro UI app makes it easier than ever for your mobile users to access data stored in the Microsoft-hosted cloud. Familiar features such as photo sharing and online collaboration are still included, but with Windows 8, Microsoft has taken SkyDrive to the limits by giving users the ability to turn their PCs into private clouds that are accessible from their mobile devices. A newly developed app will work with SkyDrive to automatically update selected documents anytime changes have been made which will help ensure that your mobile users are always working with the most current versions of their documents. One other new feature worth mentioning is the ability to restore users’ profiles with preferred settings and apps from SkyDrive accounts to any PC as long as there is an internet connection.

Direct Access is a Windows 8 mobility feature that focuses on protecting your business’s IT infrastructure and data when users access data remotely from mobile devices. DirectAccess will work in environments where Active Directory services and Windows Server 8 have been deployed. With DirectAccess, secure connections between mobile devices and corporate resources are established the moment an approved mobile device connects to the internet. In the event that a mobile device user has a problem, DirectAccess makes it possible for your system administrator to remotely manage the device.

Learn More

In order to leverage the competitive advantage that mobility solutions offer, your business needs access to an OS that provides your employees with a consistent UI, regardless of which devices they are using. To learn more about how Microsoft has designed Windows 8 to support your business’s mobility needs, please contact the mobility experts at All Covered.

In early March, we sent members of our team to the MVP Nation 2012 Conference where we learned some of the deep dive technology behind Windows 8 and interacted with some of the brightest stars that are members of SMB Nation. After attending the conference and researching the OS, we have decided, based on the features included in the Consumer Preview, that there definitely are some features that will serve your business needs better than earlier versions of the OS have done.

In Our Opinion

Reviewers have argued that Windows 8 is really nothing more than a slick looking OS for mobile platforms, but we disagree. While we do agree that Windows 8 looks pretty darn cool and when installed on a tablet could very well give Apple’s iPad some serious competition, the redesigned user interface and enhanced features will most likely make Windows 8 the go-to OS for all Windows computers.

The Wow Factors

Because we don’t know what other features are currently being developed for Windows 8 we can only provide our opinions regarding what is available for the recently released Windows 8 Consumer Preview version. Based on our current knowledge and research, the most impressive features at this moment focus on mobility, security, and management.

Mobility – Microsoft has blown away the boundaries that limited mobility solutions. New or enhanced features make it easier for your mobile work force to be productive regardless of whether they work from home, grandma’s house, or a cyber cafe in China.

• Touch screen optimization provides users with a familiar user interface regardless of which computing device they are using.
• Windows to Go will allow users to work securely on any Windows 8 compatible machine from any location.
• DirectAccess – When used in environments that use Active Directory Domain Services and Windows Server 8, DirectAccess gives remote users secure access to corporate systems anytime their mobile devices connect to the internet.
• SkyDrive can be used to restore a user’s PC. In the event that a user’s PC fails, the user can reset the computer and then restore their profile which contains their settings and apps.

Security – New features and improvements that were made to features available in previous versions of Windows work together to ensure that data is protected from boot up to shut down.

• Secure Boot takes advantage of the trusted platform module (TPM) which is a secure, integrated circuit (IC) that enables a hardware approach to security from the boot up process.
• BitLocker has been upgraded. With the new version, users have choices when it comes to encrypting data.
• AppLocker can be used to limit access to data. This will help prevent accidental modification or exposure of sensitive data.

Management – When used in conjunction with other Microsoft applications, managing PCs and mobile devices will be easier than ever before.

• Claim-based access control makes it easy to create and push out group policies that ensure users have access to only the data they need to get their jobs done.
• Virtualization with Hyper-V is a robust client virtualization application that makes it easy to develop and test operating system and application configurations on a single computer to check for problems before deployment.
• Restoration of problem PCs and devices is possible through the Windows Recovery Environment. In the event that a computer is not working correctly, it can be refreshed and the user’s profile and documents preserved, or it can be reset to factory condition.

Learn more

Through the next several weeks, check back with us to learn more about how Windows 8 has addressed mobility, security, and management. We invite you to follow up with us through the next several months as we continue to discuss the newest developments in Windows 8. For more information on how All Covered can help you with your technology and IT support needs contact us at 866-446-1133.

Ross Goldstein joined the All Covered team through a recent acquisition. With more than 25 years of experience working with technology, Ross has gained a well-deserved reputation as a Networking Subject Matter Expert (SME).

Andreas: Please tell us how you came to be employed with All Covered.

Ross: I joined Techcare back in 1988 as an Apple technician. My main focus was supporting Apple environments in the schools–that meant working with Apple II and Macintosh platforms. Early on I developed a passion for our educational clients by being able to directly impact the use of technology through the delivery of curriculum. At that time, Apple’s networking scheme was proprietary, but later on we were able to integrate into non-Apple environments. I had to understand non-Apple networking environments well enough to know how add Macs to different systems such Novell, DEC/VAX, LANtastic, and AS-400. Our team became cross-platform experts which helped us with our business clients because we were able to differentiate our expertise against that of our competitors.

In 1998 I became a partner and the CTO at Techcare. I continued to develop my networking skills through hands-on experiences with our clients coupled with a consistent level of training. A few years later, we developed our managed services practice which provided us with additional networking tool sets and services to offer our clients.

Andreas: Please identify your role in the company and the market to which you are attached.

Ross: My current role includes overall technical direction; I am the final escalation point for our clients and our staff. As a Senior Solutions Architect for the Chicago market I’m involved with the majority of our clients’ educational and business critical networking infrastructures.

Andreas: What is “networking” is and why does it matter to small and medium-sized businesses?

Ross: Today networking plays a vital role in any organization. The network provides a foundation and delivery mechanism that ensures our clients have access to the resources they need. Not too long ago, the network just existed in a single location such as an office or a computer lab in a school. But now even our smallest clients’ networks are no longer in a single location. With new technologies, the network has been extended through Wi-Fi and cellular services, and also by adding VPN (virtual private network) access to encrypted critical resources. Our role to our small and medium-sized businesses is more important than ever due to the extensibility of the network. Our planning and support of the network must provide the expected performance, access, and the protection of those resources.

Andreas: What is the difference between having networking experience and being a Networking SME?

Ross: I believe a Networking SME must have networking experience especially when working with small to medium-sized clients. But just because someone has networking experience does not necessarily make them a Networking SME. While a person with some networking experience may be able to install a switch, router, or firewall or even connect the network to the Internet, they might not have the skills or knowledge to take into account what is critical to the client or to their operation. Someone who only has some networking experience may not have the expertise to identify and provide the best, customized network to meet a client’s unique needs. When providing networking services, a Networking SME should be able to guarantee the following:

• A network design that will minimize service outages
• A network designthat will protect against data exposure and loss
• A network design that provides accessibility
• A network design that provides scalability
• A network design that provides interoperability
• A network design that provides the necessary tools needed for troubleshooting– even the smallest client should have a switch that supports SNMP (simple network monitoring protocol) so that in the event that issues arise, network alerts can be generated and problems remediated.

Andreas: What did it take for you to become a NetworkingSME?

Ross: My expertise consists of 25 years of hands-on technical experiences. I first realized I had a passion for technology when I was a child and my father brought home a digital alarm clock from Heathkit.I realized that I liked tinkering with electronics when I repaired my first portable Zenith AM tube radio which I keep in my office (it still works).

I started my formal education at Control Data Institute where I completed the Electronics Technology program. I then went to Georgia Tech and started their engineering program. Later, I returned to Chicago and attended Oakton Community College and finally University of Illinois. I hold multiple certifications in Cisco, Microsoft, EqualLogic, Novell, A+, WebSense, LightSpeed, Apple, HP, and IBM. Throughout the years I’ve attended formal training classes at Cisco, Apple, Ingram Micro, Microsoft, and other workshops. I’m also a firm believer in the necessity of providing a lab environment for our engineers to test out scenarios – we don’t figure it out, we ‘configure’ it out.

Andreas: How do clients benefit from having a tech support company that has a Networking SME on the team?

Ross: Our clients benefit because we provide the following:

• Interoperability expertise for dissimilar networking infrastructures
• Network design based on proven standards
• Networking projects that are on time and on budget based on best practices
• Effective troubleshooting toensure maximum uptime

Andreas: Looking forward through 2012, how do you think the acquisition will affect your clients and staff?

Ross: I’m excited for the opportunity to join the All Covered team. While we’re still in the transition phase of the acquisition, it has allowed us to bring additional depth to our clients and our staff.

Previously, tablets were typically used by consumers for entertainment purposes due to their limited processing power, RAM, and storage space, but as business -centric Web 2.0 applications develop, those limitations are no longer a problem for many businesses and a business case can be made for adoption of this mobile technology.

Reasons to adopt tablets

Tablets can be a great addition to your business’s repertoire of technology solutions. Before adopting tablets, All Covered recommends that your company has a clearly defined business case for adopting them. Good reasons to adopt tablets include the following:

• Increased employee productivity – The portable size of tablets, coupled with longer battery life, and Web 2.0 applications make it easy for employees to work anywhere they have access to Wi -Fi.
• Reduced upfront investments – Tablets are more affordable than laptop and PCs—combine that with affordable Web 2.0 services such as Microsoft 365 and you’ve got a much smaller initial investment for the same services that your company already uses.
• Increased employee morale – It may be surprising, but employees that have access to updated technology are happier and more productive.

Things to consider

Once you’ve determined that adopting tablets will meet your business needs, All Covered recommends that you take the time to assess your IT environment to ensure that it can support the tablets. At the very least, your business should have the following in place:

Optimized wireless network – The wireless network needs to be optimized for mobile devices. Consider the following to determine if your business needs technology upgrades to support tablets:

• Wireless routers need to transmit signals powerful enough to support large numbers of wireless devices.
• DHCP server configurations will need to be modified to distribute and manage IP addresses for all business systems and tablets.

Storage and backups – Your business’s servers will need more storage space to store data that used to keep on laptops and PCs. Also remember that backups need to be optimized to ensure that data is duplicated.

• Tablets have limited physical storage space because they are designed to work with Web 2.0 applications. This means that your servers will need to have space to store data that used to be stored locally. To avoid costly investments in new hardware, consider cloud server solutions.
• Data needs to be backed up. Because data is not stored locally on tablets, your business needs to ensure that it is stored on a server that is regularly backed up. Remember that catastrophic data loss is a possibility any time data is stored in only one location. To protect your data, schedule more frequent backups.

Security – Your company’s IT infrastructure and data must be protected at all times. Ensure that the appropriate controls are in place to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and systems. This can be done through a combination of end-user controls and hardware. All Covered recommends that you consider the following:

• Acceptable Usage Policy – Your business needs to have a policy that identifies what actions are allowed and prohibited on the company network. Your policy should, at the least, define how and when company resources can be accessed, where data should be stored, and the types of websites and Web 2.0 applications that may be used with tablets.
• Firewall – This device is the first and most important layer of protection between your IT network and the outside world.Make sure that it can properly filter Web 2.0 data packets. Additionally, remember that many firewalls have limits to the number of wireless device connections that they can support.

Learn more

To learn more about using tablets in the workplace, or to schedule an assessment or network upgrade to support tablets, please contact the mobility experts at All Covered.

Web 2.0 is a classification for web-based applications that allow users to interact with web content and share it with others in real time. Web 2.0 applications coupled with tablet PCs make it easy for your employees to harness the power of the internet whether they are on the go or at the office.

Things to know

Your business would likely benefit from adding tablets to its technology infrastructure but there are some things that you should be aware of before you buy your company’s first tablet.

• Tablets are not “mini-laptops.” Processing power, memory, and physical storage will not—in the foreseeable future—meet the basic computing power that a typical laptop computer offers. However, that is not a problem because tablets are designed to work with Web 2.0 applications which are housed and processed on remote computer hardware.
• Web 2.0 applications provide your business with the flexibility to choose the best tablets for your business based on price and usability without having to worry about OS compatibility.
• Web 2.0 sites are not operating system specific. While a traditional application will be designed for a Linux, Mac, or PC platform, Web 2.0 sites will work with most tablets because the web page that a user navigates to is the actual interface.
• Data that is accessed from tablets through a Web 2.0 interface are primarily stored on the remote computer hardware which hosts the Web 2.0 application. Web 2.0 allows your users to work on company files with the tablet while automatically saving the datato a secure remote site that can be accessed from any device at any location as long as there is internet connectivity.
• Web 2.0 applications such as Office365, Google Docs, Box.net, and SharePointmake it easy for your employees to collaborate regardless of whether they telecommute, work from the office, or while on the road.
• Web 2.0 applications provide the applications, physical storage space, and processing powernecessary to let your employees access and share documents.

Security matters

One of the drawbacks to all tablets is that they are so simple to use that users may forget to practice safe computing habits. As with any technology device, users still need to ensure that they are safeguarding sensitive data.

• Before tablets are handed out to employees your company should conduct a risk assessment to ensure that sensitive data can be properly protected.
• All tablet users should attend face-to-face security training and sign an Acceptable Use Policy to ensure that they know how to protect company data while using a tablet.
• Tablets should be password protected and encrypted to prevent unauthorized access in the event of loss or theft.

Learn more

To learn more about tablets and Web 2.0 in general or to discuss if they are suitable for your business’s particular needs, please contact the mobility experts at All Covered.