ChannelPro-SMB - Karl Palachuk

Robert Crane's Amazing SharePoint Operations Guide

Karl Palachuk — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:07:00 GMT

If you sell, install, or configure SharePoint then you should take a look at Robert Crane's SharePoint Operations Guide. It's over 1,000 pages and includes all updates for a year.

You can find out more at CIA Ops - That's Robert's site (Computer Information Agency) at http://supportweb.ciaops.net.au/default.aspx.

There you'll also find a huge collection of resources including . . .

- Robert's CIA Ops Blog - http://supportweb.ciaops.net.au/blog/default.aspx

- Lots of Free Downloads http://supportweb.ciaops.net.au/Shared%20Documents/Forms/Complete.aspx

- Slide decks from presentations

- A must-have collection of SharePoint Links

- SharePoint Templates

- and more!

We also have a lot of information over at SMB Books, including . . .

- Free download of Windows SharePoint Operations Guide - Chapter 1

- Recording of my interview with Robert on the The SMB Conference Call from September 2008

- Bundle offers along with Noel's SharePoint 2007 Unleashed

- and more.

- - - - -

End of Summer Special

Now through the end of August, purchase Robert's SharePoint Operations Guide along with any other item and receive $20 off your order.

Just use Discount Cost Crane09 at checkout.

. . . And if you want to meet Robert, he'll be a featured speaker at SMB Nation this Fall in Vegas.

See you there.

:-)

Now Available:
The Network Migration Workbook: Zero Downtime Migration Strategies for Microsoft Networks

Zenith Cloud Taking Shape

Karl Palachuk — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:30:00 GMT

My friends Bob Nitrio and Mike Cortez did the big two-day training on the Zenith Box Office Product (now called smart computing) about a month ago. They loved it.

By all reports, it was amazing. Now I'm very excited to be going to the training myself next week. I'm taking Todd with me in hopes that he'll get so excited he'll sell ten of these things by the time they're released.

I first discussed the Box Office product in April: Zenith Peeks Into the Future . It has evolved considerable since then. In fact, I suspect it has evolved beyond the training I'll receive.

It's interesting because Cloud Computing is exactly where "managed services" was four years ago. As I reported here and here, cloud computing had quite a little buzz at Comptia's Breakaway.

Some people have claimed to have figured out the whole thing. And guess what? They're ready to sell it to you for a price.

Here's the enterprise vision of "The Cloud" for most consultants:

- The big monster companies have been building up the infrastructure for this for a long time. Google, Ebay, Yahoo. Microsoft is a little late to the game, but not much. They certainly have the resources to catch up, especially since they have the ability to create the technology they need!

- "Chrome OS" doesn't really exist. It will some day. But there's nothing un-predictable about it. An O.S. that essentially serves up the Internet is the inevitable next step. Read The Big Switch by Nicholas Carr. By the time Google releases Chrome OS, there will be six or seven competitors, including "Gazelle" from Microsoft.

- For a bizarre little video on Azure, see http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=b4d189d3-19bd-42b3-85d7-6ca46d97fe40. Billions of servers being deployed just so they can be available to anyone who needs them.

- Google "utility computing per hour" and you'll find offerings from Sun, Google, Microsoft, and a bunch of people you've never heard of.

. . . But I don't need 10,000 computers working on a math problem for an hour.

My clients want a good reliable base for business technology. While most of them don't care about servers or infrastructure, they kind of understand how their current technology works.

Putting critical data "out there somewhere" will not be comfortable until *I* can tell a story about how it's completely reliable, secure, and available in a usable form if the the company "out there somewhere" ceases to exist.

So enterprise cloud computing is great if you're an enterprise.

But for small business, I'm going to have to sell something that either exists on-premise or at a specific location where the client can visit it, touch it, and feel comfortable that they know where their data is.

I am hoping that Zenith's solution will provide that. Ideally, I'd like to drop one of their on-premise units into a client office and back it up to a unit at my colo facility.

- - - - -

Sometimes it's nice to relax and enjoy the lull when technology is stable. We've really had that 80% of the time since SBS 2003 was released. Changes have come in measured steps. It has been a great opportunity to make money!

But times are about to change very quickly. I think SBS 2008 represents the first of a series of changes from Microsoft and others that will dramatically shift how we acquire and use technology. Not that SBS 2008 does things so differently today. But it lays the groundwork for a computing environment that works very nicely with the cloud.

By the end of this year many vendors will have options to just "click here" and send some critical function off to the cloud.

I'm eager to get going! I'm actually more excited about the next three years than I've been in a very long time. I can't wait for the next stage of technical development to get here.

Strap in and settle down: This rocket will take off as the economy emerges from recession. By January 1, you better have a pretty clear idea of what you're doing with cloud computing.

:-)

Now Available:
Introduction to Zero Downtime Migrations
Seminar on MP3 Download

Calyptix and Third Tier Partner

Karl Palachuk — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:56:00 GMT

From my friends Ben and Amy . . .

August 12, 2009 03:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Calyptix and Third Tier Partner to Combine Internet Security and Remote Services Platform for IT Professionals
Partners Unify Internet Security and Remote Services Solution to Support Internet Service Providers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. & DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Internet security firm, Calyptix Security, has partnered with Third Tier, a leading provider of remote support services for IT professionals and business owners, to offer small business IT professionals the comprehensive security and services resources and expertise they need to deliver IT services at the highest level.

Small business IT professionals can leverage the Calyptix-Third Tier relationship to provide services that will distinguish them in their marketplace with access to extensive security and services expertise on Microsoft technologies, UNIX, networking and Internet and IT security matters.

Third Tier will work with Calyptix resellers to integrate the AccessEnforcerâ¢ Internet security product into client networks with Microsoftâs Small Business Server (SBS), Essential Business Server (EBS) and other leading solutions to provide a more efficient alternative to traditional vendor support. Third Tier consists of experts focused on small business technologies such as Microsoftâs SBS and counts Eriq Neale author of Windows Small Business Server 2008 Unleashed, among its members.

âI have worked closely with this partnership to deploy EBS with the AccessEnforcer and found it extremely helpful,â noted Wendy Frank of Accell, Inc., a Philadelphia-based Microsoft certified partner. âTimely and affordable access to subject matter experts saves us time and money and ensures the best result for our clients.â

âWeâre excited about the opportunity this partnership presents to deliver a solution purpose built for small and medium businesses and the IT professionals they depend on,â comments Amy Babinchak, Managing Partner of Third Tier. âBy combining our focus on the needs of small businesses, we help IT professionals deliver timely and affordable solutions to their customers.â

ABOUT THIRD TIER

Third Tierâs expertise includes a wide range of SMB technologies including Exchange, SQL, Sharepoint, Virtualization, Active Directory, DNS, Macintosh, AccessEnforcer, ISA, SBS, EBS and general networking. Visit www.thirdtier.net.

ABOUT CALYPTIX SECURITY

Calyptix manufactures and sells AccessEnforcer, an all-in-one security appliance tailored to work with Microsoft's Small Business Server, related server products and Active Directory to provide network security and control of users, groups and devices from a single interface in a plug & play format that is simple to deploy, activate and maintain. Nearly 200 authorized resellers nationwide distribute AccessEnforcer. Visit www.calyptix.com.

Contacts

Calyptix Security
Ben Yarbrough, 704-971-8989
byarbrough@calyptix.com

or

Third Tier
Amy Babinchak
amy@thirdtier.net

:-)

Monster Deal from Intel: Services Workshops

Karl Palachuk — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:33:00 GMT

Intel is putting on two great workshops. Unfortunately, I don't have a good link right now. I'll post it on my blog as soon as I get it. (I'll actually edit this blog as well.) In the meantime, email me at karlp.intel@greatlittlebook.com if you are interested.

The workshops are . . .

August 25th in Blue Bell, PA

and

August 27th in Edison, NJ

The goals of the workshop are very clear:

1) Introduce MSPs to cool new technologies and strategies for success

2) Train MSPs on the technology, and on the LogMeIn Rescue program

Here's what you get with the workshop:

- 6 Month LogMeIn Rescue license - Value $975

- Complete Intel B43-based system with 19" LCD Monitor - Value $900

- Four hours of training to put it all together

Your cost only $999

Plus one Anti-Theft ready laptop will be raffled at each event!

The System:

- Micro-ATX mini tower with 350w power supply
- DB43LD motherboard (Intel, of course)
- C2D Wolfdate CPU: 3.16 Ghz 1333 6Mb - 64 bit with virtualization technology
- 1 GB RAM
- 250 GB Sata2 hard drive
- DVDRW
- Windows XP Pro
- 19" LCD Monitor
- Keyboard, Mouse

This is a hands-on workshop with both the technology and the Intel Channel relationship tools.

Email me and I'll make sure the right person contacts you.

- - - - -

I'm sneaking up to Portland to talk to the Intel folks about a deeper involvement in the MSP community. Their RPAT remote management system with LogMeIn is a killer app for remote service providers.

:-)

Enter to Win a Free Pass to SMB Nation

Karl Palachuk — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:31:00 GMT

Harry Brelsford will be the next guest on the SMB Conference Call.

And on that call, he's giving away a Free Pass to SMB Nation. Must register and attend to win. Obviously, the webinar software knows who attended.

Harry is the CEO of SMB Nation (www.smbnation.com) from Bainbridge Island, WA.

He is a long-time SMB channel partner who has served customers and mentored other partners (SMB Nation has over 35,000 tribal members who are SMB technology consultants).

He oversees the popular SMB Nation worldwide events including Webinar, workshops and multi-day conferences. He holds an MBA (and numerous certifications such as MCSE, MCT, CNE, et al) and is the author of 17 books.

He is also the publisher of SMB Partner Community magazine. His 20-years of SMB technology experience were supplemented by teaching 12+ years at night as an adjunct professor at Seattle Pacific University and other higher-learning institutions.

Harry is a frequent speaker at industry events. Harryâs recent books include the Microsoft Response Point Primer and Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 Blueprint. He is currently exploring the SMB VoIP space.

SMB Nation is a publishing and events company, targeted at the SMB technology community. SMB Nation spreads the knowledge of SMB technology trends through its books, magazine, online services, conferences and world-wide seminars and workshops.

As an active participant in the technology community, SMB Nation has a long history of channel partner and consultant advocacy and evangelism.

Bonus for Listeners:
Harry will draw one admission pass to the SMB Nation Fall Conference from among those who attend this conference call.
Register Today for your chance.

Join us August 19th at 9:00 AM Pacific / 12 Noon Eastern
Register Now!

Info:

Email address: harryb@smbnation.com
Web address: www.smbnation.com
Blog address: SMB Dude at www.smbnation.com
Video link: www.smbnation.tv
Twitter @harrybrelsford

- - - -

Find out more on the SMB Conference Call page.

Tell all your friends and colleagues!

Wed. August 19th
9:00 AM Pacific / 12 N Eastern

Mark Your Calendar Today!

:-)

Bob Godgart's Take on Cloud Computing

Karl Palachuk — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:45:00 GMT

I posted the SMB Conference Call with Autotask today.

The show features "The Bobs" from Autotask - Bob Godgart and Bob Vogel. Bob G. was a keynote speaker at the Comptia Breakaway the just concluded in Vegas. His keynote was on the opportunities for all of going forward with Cloud Computing.

So while our SMB Conference Call addressed the the Autotask product for about half the time, we also spent a great deal of time on Cloud Computing and where it fits in the SMB / MSP models. As a true pioneer in technology trends over the years, Bob's insights are very informative.

Not surprisingly, success is projected for the same types of people who have always been successful:

- Those who get in before it becomes a commodity market

and

- Those who focus very clearly on what's best for the client

- - - - -

It is absolutely worth your while to listen to Bob's insights on Cloud Computing and the future of your industry. Whether you use (or plan to use) Autotask or not, the half hour on Cloud Computing is very informative.

Give it a listen and post comments here. Or you can email me at karlp@greatlittlebook.com or email Bob directly at bgodgart@autotask.com.
Stay tuned. This story will continue for a few years.

:-)

Now Available: Introduction to Zero Downtime MigrationsSeminar on MP3 Download