Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Clients,
TrustPoint offices will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, as well as Friday the 27th.

Our Service/HelpDesk however, is taking calls 24x7x365. Calls received on Thursday or Friday will be logged and a ticket will be created. Priority issues will be ticketed and an on-call Engineer will be contacted.

We all want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope you are able to enjoy some time with friends and family. At TrustPoint Technologies we have many things to be thankful for, especially our valued Clients and Friends.

Thank you again for your business and continued support.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We Will Remember…

Once again it is September 11th, the 8th anniversary of a day that changed America forever. Looking back it is hard to believe that in those few short hours we would witness such immense acts of cowardice by unknown terrorists followed by incredible acts of bravery and courage, particularly those of the NYPD and FDNY. The tremendous loss of life that day along with the loss of “peace of mind” of being safe at home was just the beginning of what we have lost over the last 8 years.
The President will observe a moment of silence today at 8:46am. I think that today deserves more than a moment, but we are a busy nation. In any case, to those that gave so much that day, in following days and to those that are still giving, I wanted to take this opportunity to say…

Thank You All for Your Sacrifices.

They are Appreciated and Will Be Remembered.

Happy Labor Day!

“We need to do more with less”. I’ve been hearing a lot of that the last few months. What that usually means, is we need to produce the same amount of work with less people or lower cost systems. The less people part is unfortunate, and sometimes as much for the people left working as the people let go. As for the systems, it’s not as bad or difficult as one would think to do more with less. For example, one of the big challenges we have always faced is server performance. We have always used enterprise class servers in our network designs because they provide the best performance possible and everyone wants performance. There is of course a price to pay for more performance, and more to the point, excess performance. I know there are companies out there with servers that are under-utilized. The problem is that buying a server is a lot like jumping over a big puddle, you don’t do it in two steps. It’s all or nothing right up front, mostly. However, with a little up front planning we can capture that excess performance, and do more with less.

By now some of you are very familiar with the steps we have taken over the last few years to do more with less. And before we go too much further, I am talking about value, not price. In short, spending the same or less to do more work, have more options, and be more productive. For those that aren’t as familiar, let me share a few things.

Almost 3 years ago we started working with server virtualization. We have many, many cases where one new physical server has been hosting and running from 2 to 7 or 8 virtual servers. It’s like 7 or 8 families living in the same one family house with all the room they need and never knowing the others are there. It sounds a bit spooky when put that way, but nonetheless it’s what’s happening today.
For the last 4 or 5 years we have been using disk based backups instead of tapes. We believe whole-heartedly that disk is the way to go. The systems we have been selling and using are very effective because they are self-contained, fast and we can manage and monitor backup status from there consoles. Today we have another very cost effective choice. Clients who are using our NetworkCare Service Platform can now utilize lower cost network attached storage units and external usb drives for complete system backups that are managed and monitored from our Service/HelpDesk. In short, upfront costs from $3,500 to $20,000 for centralized backup systems can now be reduced to $500 to $2,500.
Near the end of last year we purchased and started deploying an Enterprise Class Managed Service Platform, many of our Clients know it as NetworkCare. The reason we did this was simple, we knew that with our People, our Processes and this Platform, we could provide better overall Support and Service for the same or lower cost. Since most services can be provided via remote management and control, our travel and on-site times are reduced, thereby reducing cost.
Last but not least is the issue of used equipment and free software. When the budget doesn’t allow for a new server, we have used and/or refurbished equipment available. For some offices, the installation of a used server with one of the free VMware virtualization products is a perfect fit. Sometimes it’s all they’ll ever need, and sometimes it’s good enough for the next 2 years. In many cases we use the free software on brand new servers too, because it’s the best way to go.
We know there are companies running out of warranty servers that have been acting up, and/or their backups are weak or suspect…

You don’t need to be risking your business!

Please don’t risk your business because you think you can’t afford something better, faster or more stable. There are a lot of very good options available today and I am always happy to discuss the pros and cons of these with anyone who has an interest (Call me @ 440-325-2101).


And on a personal note, more with less can be fun and rewarding and all that warm and fuzzy stuff. Several weeks ago we started doing Outdoor Movie Night. My buddy Todd has been doing this for his kids and friends for few years now. I figured I’d give it a try too. So, I bought a slightly used projector, plugged in a laptop with external speakers and we were in business. The first night we had about a dozen people and I projected “The Sandlot” on the back of the house. The picture was about 7 ft. across and we had a really good time. The movie was barely over and everyone was talking about next week already. Fast forward a few weeks and we have about 20 people watching our homemade 16 ft. wide screen made from a plastic tarp and PVC pipe. We’ll still go to the movie theatre now and then, but Outdoor Movie Night in the backyard with family and friends will make lasting memories. And that has Value.

Regards,

Dave

We Have Moved!

After several months of searching for a larger and permanent home, we are very pleased to announce that TrustPoint Technologies, Inc has moved into its new offices. This new facility provides us with the space needed to support our new NetworkCare Managed Services Platform and Help Desk.
Additionally, now that we have a permanent and large enough facility, we will be planning in-house events such as lunch-n-learns and multi-vendor presentations. Since many of our projects include technology from several different manufacturers, it is our intention to develop a “Hands-On” demonstration room to showcase these solutions and their interaction.
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions or would like to discuss an event, please contact me directly.

Please find below our new Main Office Address:
TrustPoint Technologies, Inc.
10800 Pearl Road
Suite B4
Strongsville, Ohio 44136-3380

Our Accounting/Administration Address remains:
TrustPoint Technologies, Inc
P.O. Box 33069
Cleveland, Ohio 44133

Your assistance in updating your records and passing along this information to others on your staff will be greatly appreciated. We value our personal and professional relationships and we continue to be very appreciative of your support. If any of our staff may be of any assistance at all, please do not hesitate to call or email.

Regards,

Dave
440-325-2101
dbasile@trustpointtech.com

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Those of you that have the luck of the Irish probably don't need to read this, but for the rest of you, well, I think it'll be worth a few minutes of your time. If your business can not afford to be down for days, then take heed of these 3 easy (but crucial!) steps to make sure you never have to experience extended downtime, data loss or corruption. 1. Keep on-site and off-site copies of your data. You never want to rely solely on an on-site backup. If a fire, flood, natural disaster or burglary happens, you're out of luck. Plus, why bet your business on one backup? It is smart to have several backups of your data. 2. Throw your old tape-drive out the window. If you're still using tape drive backups, you could be in for a terrible surprise if you need to restore from them. Tapes are slow, highly volatile, high maintenance and have a very high failure rate. We have found that many companies using tapes only have enough for a week or two worth of backups, and, that the backups are never verified. This means that if a backup is failing and no one notices, your last good backup could be gone in 5 to 10 business days. 3. Image your Server(s) and Workstations. Imaging your server(s) and workstations is similar to taking a "snapshot" or "picture" of your hard drive. Not only does it make a copy of the information (data) stored on them, but it also makes a copy of all the software programs, personal settings, favorites, desktop icons, network settings, printer configurations and EVERYTHING exactly as it is in your current computer. Once your hardware is repaired or replaced, this image can enable you to be back up and running in an hour or two as opposed to a day or two. Rebuilding a server (or workstation) that has crashed, burned or otherwise been incapacitated takes time. Call us during the month of March and we'll perform a No Charge Disaster Recovery Checkup to see if your systems could be back up and running FAST in the event of a major failure. Regards, Dave 440-325-2101

Happy Valentines Day!

Paddle, paddle, paddle. Whatever you do, don’t stop paddling! That’s about all I remember hearing from our guide during my one and only whitewater rafting weekend. I think that was sometime in the mid to late 80’s.

When I look back over the last few years, It feels like that’s all I have been doing is paddling. Lately, I think I can almost hear him again in my head. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here when I say that we are all getting busier and busier. What I have heard the most of lately is “I am overwhelmed”. Certainly for some, it’s the economy that drives them to work harder, longer, do more with less, etc. For others, well, the reason is probably less important than the results. Whatever the reason, I am afraid the results are the same; and certainly not healthy. Not healthy for bodies, minds, spirits, families, relationships or anything else that really matters to us. “They” keep giving us bad news about the economy. You know as well as I do that good things are still happening. But, good news doesn’t sell papers or advertising. To quote our friends in Brooklyn N.Y. I say Fugetaboutit and go about your business in the most positive manner possible. Sure the economy has taken a hit, but, it’s our spirits and our peace of mind that have been taking the beating.

So, that being said, I am not going to suggest you go to a gym, take a yoga class, start meditating, eat better, stop smoking or any of the other dozens of things that could actually lead to a healthier and more peaceful life. Today, I am simply going to suggest two things to you. Two very simple, free and fast (just the way us Americans like it) suggestions.

First, I am going to ask you to pause and think before you forward another negative email or pass on another negative story about anything to anyone. A little bit of encouragement and positive thinking goes a long way. Unfortunately, so does discouragement and negative thinking. And second, find two or three times a day to stop and breathe on purpose. Just for a minute, create a gap in your day, stop the chatter in your head and take a few breaths. If you must think about something, try to think/feel gratitude for family, friends, work, chocolate, hot water, whatever it is for which you are thankful.

If you’re one of the many that are feeling a bit overwhelmed these days try this:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

If your way past a bit overwhelmed, try St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

If all else fails, use a lifeline and phone a friend. And oh yes, Happy Valentines day!

Peace

Dave

Happy Thanksgiving

Dear Clients,

I am sure I echo the sentiments of many of you when I say I can’t believe we are less than a week away from another Thanksgiving Day. Before the Holidays hit us full force I wanted to take a few minutes to look back over this past year and catch you up on what’s been happening with us.

As many of you know, the later half of 2007 was a busy time for us with the exit of my partner Mike, a plan to create a joint-venture with another I.T. company and our subsequent move to Brecksville.

After several months of discussions we decided that a joint-venture would not be in the best interest of either company or its respective Clients and ended discussions. So, no joint-venture, no merger.

I did feel however that our name change to TrustPoint Technologies would be an important part of our future plans and as we moved further into 2008 I had a few goals.

1. To increase the level of communication between our staff and our Clients.
2. To offer an email protection service for those Clients who didn’t have or didn’t want that equipment in house.
3. To offer a Network Health Monitoring Service.
4. To create a network documentation system for support Clients.
5. To increase operational efficiencies and replace several internal systems with one fully integrated solution.
6. To locate and move to a permanent larger office space.

I am proud to say that we have achieved the first four goals. We have purchased and installed the equipment and software for goal five and started training this week. As for the office space, we are currently considering a few good options.

While some of you joined us this year, many of you have been with us 6 years or longer and some have trusted us to manage and grow their networks over 20 years. And so on a personal note, I would like to say thank you to you all of you for your continued trust and support and that I am truly thankful for you and our Staff.

On behalf of the TrustPoint Technologies Team I’d like to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Dave