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In This Issue
· Office 2007 – What’s New?
· Windows Vista
· How does a firewall work?
· Prep your old computer for the next owner
· Unified communications – IP communications
· FREE Needs Analysis
How Does a Spam Firewall Work?
At the most basic level, a spam firewall blocks unwanted email from entering the network and reaching the email server. A spam firewall is a single box computing appliance that is set up in front of the email server. This appliance receives all the incoming email for the organization and processes it such that only the good email is passed on to the email server. To filter spam, a spam firewall uses many different techniques. For instance, the one we recommend employs ten defense layers through which each email must pass in order to make it to the end user’s inbox. These defense layers include: denial of service and security protection, IP block list, rate control, virus check with archive decompression, proprietary virus check, user specified rules, spam fingerprint check, final purpose analysis, spam rule-based scoring, and Bayesian analysis. All of these layers provide protection against different types of spam and other attacks.
We are pleased to announce that Technology Architects, Inc has updated our website. It is available at www.technologyarch.com.
The site was initiated as a tool to educate anyone who wants to stay abreast of today’s IT technologies.
Please visit our website. Your comments and suggestions are always encouraged and welcome!
Prep Your Computer for the Next Owner:
When it's time to think about what you'll do with your old system, you may ask yourself these questions. What will I do...? Repurpose? Recycle? Donate? Pass it on to a friend or relative? Here are ideas on how to prepare your PC for giveaway.
To move your personal files from the old PC to your new one, install both systems on a network, or connect them directly with a file-transfer cable.
Once your files are on the new PC, erase them on the old system if you don't plan to keep it. A hacker or identity thief won't be deterred by your simply deleting the files, or even reformatting or repartitioning the hard drive. If you want to leave Windows and your installed software intact, use a utility, which eradicates personal data, history files, log files, and so on, but leaves your operating system and apps in place. To erase the hard drive completely (the OS, applications, and all), overwrite it repeatedly with a disk-wipe utility.
If you're handing down your system, include all of its manuals, OS and application CDs, and registration or license numbers. The motherboard or system manual is especially important for adding more memory—often the cheapest way to extend the life of an old PC—because it identifies the motherboard and compatible RAM.
Most donation programs take any working PCs and monitors, as well as some nonfunctioning systems. St Vincent De Paul is one of several charities that will take all PCs and recycle those that can't be reused.
Don't dump it. Many recyclers charge from $10 to $40 per PC or monitor, but free recycling services abound, such as the programs mentioned above or go to Dell and the Environment for more on Dell's free recycling program, which accepts equipment from all vendors.
We'd like to offer you a FREE needs analysis, where we will examine your computer network as well as the stability, security, and efficiency of your computer system.
We will provide to you a detailed report, of any deficiencies discovered:
· Identify to you if any key components are missing
· Identification of any mission critical applications
· Provide a discovery of any security risks – spyware, spam, firewall and wireless network
Call us today at (920) 339-0555 or email
sales@technologyarch.com
 
 
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Microsoft Office 2007 – What’s New?
Microsoft Office 2007 delivers powerful new capabilities, including a powerful new graphics engine, data visualization tools, instant messaging, and new open eXtensible Markup Language (XML)-based file formats that make it easier to more effectively manage, analyze, and share information. The new streamlined user interface makes more of the applications’ advanced features available to more users, so they can work with information more efficiently and effectively. Out-of-the-box integration with the Microsoft Office system of products creates new opportunities to collaborate within and across corporate boundaries, manage content more efficiently, and streamline everyday business processes.
Key highlights across the suite: There is a tremendous amount of innovation in each one of the programs in the suite. This list mentions just a few of the most exciting.
• New graphics and charting engine: Completely updated for the 2007 release, the graphics and charting engine now enables a host of advanced capabilities that make it easy for people to create high-impact and compelling documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• New Microsoft Office Open XML Formats: These new file formats enable smaller, more robust documents and deep integration with information systems and external data sources.
• Save as PDF and XPS: Office Professional Plus 2007 enables you to share documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in PDF and XPS format without requiring additional third-party tools.
• New themes capability: Office Professional Plus 2007 introduces a new themes capability that simplifies the process of applying a consistent look and feel across documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• Office Word 2007 Building Blocks: Quickly assemble documents from predefined content.
• Office Excel 2007: Excel now includes 1,000,000 rows so that you can import, organize, and explore massive data sets. Improved PivotTable® dynamic views and conditional formatting help you analyze data more easily.
• Office PowerPoint 2007: The new SmartArt diagramming capability dramatically reduces time needed to create high-impact presentations.
• Office Outlook 2007: Instant Search is a fast integrated Inbox search, and the To-Do Bar efficiently centralizes calendar and task management.
• Office Access 2007: Tracking Application Templates help users get started faster, and integration with Microsoft Windows® SharePoint® Services improves manageability.
• Office InfoPath 2007: InfoPath E-mail Forms streamlines information gathering through Outlook e-mail messages.
• Office Publisher 2007: The new Getting Started experience includes one-click application of branding elements.
• Office InfoPath 2007: InfoPath E-mail Forms streamlines information gathering through Outlook e-mail messages.
• Office Publisher 2007: The new Getting Started experience includes one-click application of branding elements.
For More Information email sales@technologyarch.com
Discover New Features in Windows Vista
Windows Vista offers a considerable number of new and improved features over Windows XP. Some of these great new features include:
Windows Aero: Windows Vista features a totally different look for its interface—a cleaner, transparent look with impressive graphic quality, not to mention Live Icons and the new Windows Flip 3D feature. Windows Aero requires a higher-end video graphics card; otherwise, Windows Vista is displayed using Windows Basic. Check with your computer manufacturer, or use the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor to see whether your video card is ready for Windows Aero.
Windows Sidebar: Windows Vista offers a panel (transparent, if you're using Windows Aero) that displays your selection of Windows gadgets—mini-applications that perform useful functions, such as a clock, a calendar, a Microsoft Office Outlook inbox representation, and currency exchange.
Microsoft Windows Media Player 11: With its new graphics-oriented interface, Windows Media Player 11 abandons the text-oriented look and field of previous versions.
Windows Search: One of the most helpful new features in Windows Vista, you can now search for files or applications from almost anywhere. Unlike in Windows XP, with Window Search, you can simply type a few letters of your search request, and the results appear on the fly—a helpful feature when looking for a file or application from the Start menu.
Enjoy better security: People are concerned about security these days—not only Windows security but also how to protect themselves using computers. Microsoft has addressed both of these issues head on in Windows Vista. Some of the improved security features in the new operating system include:
User Controls: Windows Vista includes lets the computer administrator set highly specific boundaries for other users, including separate standard user accounts. You can set rules such as which sites a certain user can or cannot access and hours during which a particular user can use the computer; you can also curtail access to specific applications and view where other users have been on the computer and on the Web.
Windows Firewall: Windows Vista now features two different firewalls: the standard firewall that was available in Windows XP and Windows Firewall with Advanced Features. The latter offers true firewall protection, including bidirectional filters, meaning that both incoming and outgoing data are scanned.
There are many more reasons than we have discussed. For more information on Windows Vista, email
sales@technologyarch.com
Unified Communication-IP Communications
Today, business understands that IP (Internet Protocol) based solutions operating over a converged voice-and-data network are the best choice to replace aging telephone systems. They also want assurance that the investment will deliver a rapid and adequate return, with both strategic and financial value.
A typical communications challenge facing many organizations today is an inability to reach coworkers on the first try. Even though communication tools have increased greatly, the fact that employees are become increasingly mobile makes collaborating with co-workers more difficult by the day. Workers today have no shortage of means for staying in touch. In fact, the average organization with IPC reports using different types of communication devices (desktop phones, mobile phones, etc.) and (instant messaging, conferencing applications, etc.).
Working together, these factors have led to a real communications bottleneck. Even though more tools should lead to easier coworker access, if the devices are not properly integrated the net effect can be counter-productive. Employees must often guess which method (desk phone, cell phone, email, etc.) is best for reaching their colleagues at any given time. Their first attempts often fail. Although this scenario might only seem a modest annoyance, it has real economic impact. These internal communication obstacles lead to critical delays over time. In fact, nearly all organizations at one point have experienced a missed deadline or project delay as a result of impeded access to key decision-makers. It is clear that being cut off from key team members will jeopardize core business operations in the long run.
While the use of Unified Communications applications is clearly on the rise, by deploying an IPC system today, an organization is laying the groundwork for a new world of potential value-added applications. Until now, many organizations have adopted IPC primarily in the name of cost savings. However, the more organizations exploit IPC as a platform for higher-end Unified Communications applications today the more benefits they experience ? on the employee productivity side as well as in direct costs savings. This technology also provides a real source of competitive advantage in the long run. To learn more, email sales@technologyarch.com.
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