Beginner's Guide to Information Technology

IT Spending on the Rise

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:41:04 +0000

Most business and IT executive in the U.S. anticipate vast increases in expenditures over the next 3 years, according to an annual study recently released by Accenture.

The study queried 300 business managers and IT executives from some of the larger American companies and found that 60% expect their businesses to increase IT expenditures by around 5.5% over the next few years.

Additionally, most executives think that spending is less than it should be.

Most of the preconceived expenses should result in the upgrading of legacy systems and incorporation of new technologies.

Michael Leavitt NASCIO's National Technology Champion

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 20:57:36 +0000

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) named Michael Leavitt, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as the association's 2006 National Technology Champion Award recipient in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of information technology (IT) public policy and practice.

"Secretary Leavitt's passion for enabling the use of technology has advanced citizen service, information sharing and good government," said Wisconsin CIO and NASCIO President Matthew Miszewski. "We applaud his dedication to implementing widespread deployment of health information technology in order to provide safer, timelier, more efficient, effective, equitable and less costly, patient-centered health care."

Data Recovery

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:05:56 +0000

Data Recovery Overview

Where can you go to get data recovered?

What media devices and specific industries is date recovery for?

How can you prevent this from happening?

Document Imaging

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:07:49 +0000

What is Document Imaging?

When should a business use Document Imaging?

What file formats and storage systems are available for Document Imaging?

Is Document Imaging different than document scanning?

Video Conferencing

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:09:57 +0000

What is Video Conferencing?

How Does Video Conferencing Work?

What are the Benefits to Video Conferencing?

Would My Company Benefit from Video Conferencing?

Offsite Storage

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:11:52 +0000

What is Offsite Storage?

How Should Offsite Storage be managed?

What options are available for Offsite Storage?

What is the difference in Offsite Storage, Digital Archiving, and Remote Backups?

Biometric Security Overview

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:57:47 +0000

If you run a large corporation and have a lot of confidential data to work with, you know how important security is. With the rise of identity theft, malicious outside attacks from hackers, and other breaches of the system, it is no wonder that managers and company execs depend on technology to stop these infiltrators in their tracks, thereby ensuring safe and secure data. The issues of IT security is so tight that the government and industry regulators have gotten involved, by issuing strict guidelines that companies must adhere to. Because of this, many corporations have had to institute policies and programs to ensure safety and security within their organization. Some of these policies involves authentication. The idea of authentication is to validate the user based on who the user is and what the user has. To understand biometric security, you have to know what it involves and what is used. To start with biometric security deals with different sections of the body. This is a run down of biometric security and how certain body parts are used:

• Biometric Fingerprint Identification: This is where the security device takes a digital scan of a person's fingertips and records the finger's physical characteristics, including the whorls, arches, loops, ridges, and furrows. The data is then stored as an image or is encoded and turned into a character string.
• Biometric Iris Recognition: You may not realize this but the iris of the eye possesses physical patterns that happen to be unique to each person. Iris-scan systems analyze 200 points of the iris and record this information. This type of identification is becoming well known and is the second mostly used security device behind the fingerprint identification system.
• Biometric Retina Scan: Retinal scanning systems look at blood vessel patterns in the back of the eye. Retina scans work by shining light on the retina and records these patterns. The only way this will work is if the person whose eye is being scanned would have to place their eye very close to the scanner, remain completely still, and focus on a specified spot. Among all the biometric systems in place, biometric retina recognition systems are the most accurate to use.
• Biometric Face Recognition: This system measures and analyzes the physical features of a person's face. The overall structure and shape of the face is recorded, along with the distances between the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Face recognition systems are so accurate that they can verify and identify a person's face that is standing two feet away from the system.
• Biometric Hand Recognition: This system measures and analyzes the hand and all the attributes and characteristics thereof. Basically, these systems measure the overall size of the hand, shape of it, and everything else about the hand. The only downfall to these systems is that they are expensive.

Biometric Security Devices

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:58:27 +0000

We know that because of security issues in major companies, and smaller ones to, that some kind of policy or policies have to be put in place to prevent such security breaches. In the past and present time there are various means of collecting data from people as a way of securing the person's identity. These systems include:

• Biometric Fingerprint Identification: This security device takes a digital scan of a person's fingertips and records every inch of the fingertip getting every nook and cranny that is embedded in the fingertip. This information is then recorded as an image or encoded and feed in a system as a strong of data. This system is so foolproof that it even measures the blood flow to the finger.
• Biometric Iris Recognition: The iris possess quite and impressive feature in that each person's iris is unique. No iris is the same. Because of this feature, and because the iris-scan system can analyze 200 points of the iris, it is becoming well known and is the second mostly used security device behind the fingerprint identification system. In order to make this foolproof, the iris system will often vary the light so the pupil can dilate. This way a dilated pupil is recorded instead of a regular one.
• Biometric Retina Scan: One great system that is being used globally is retina scanning. This is where a retinal scanning system looks at blood vessel patterns in the back of the eye. It does this by shining light on the retina and records these patterns. But the person would have to be very close to the scanner, be kept perfectly still, and would have to focus on a particular object for the system to work effectively.
• Biometric Face Recognition: Biometric face recognition measures and analyzes the physical features of a person's face. It takes and scans the entire face including the overall structure and shape of the face. It measures the distance between the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. It has been proven that face recognition systems are so accurate they can identify a person's face as far back and two feet.
• Biometric Hand Recognition: This system measures and analyzes the hand and all the attributes and characteristics thereof. Basically, these systems measure the overall size of the hand, shape of it, and everything else about the hand.

Advantages of Using Finger Biometrics

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:58:53 +0000

Of all the biometric security devices and systems on the market, it seems that the Biometric Fingerprint Identification system is the most popular and most used system in business environments. Here are the advantages to using this system:

• The fingerprint: Of all the security systems around, the most technically advanced, proven, and recognized physical identifier is the fingerprint. This is because each fingerprint has unique details that are on no other fingerprint. With this being the case, the fingerprint is the most effective, economical, and widely used system in the world.
• Fingers: A fingerprint can be affected by many factors. This includes the density of the fingerprint, the thickness of the print's edges, the skin's wetness/dryness factor, the sex/age/occupation of the person, and the actual size of the finger. If the person places his finger on the scanner and turns it slightly, a position that wasn't recorded earlier, the system will need to spend more time evaluating the fingerprint to make sure it is the same one as scanned before.
• Sensors: Sensors capture images at least at 300 DPI or higher. Many government scanner systems will scan an image at 500 DPI. A user will generate between 18-35 print points to be matched. These matched points are used later to identify the finger.

Companies That Sell Biometric Security Devices

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:59:15 +0000

If you are ready to buy a biometric security device for your company, you will need to know whom to deal with. Not every company will have the same types of devices you will want or need. The best way to find what you are looking for is to evaluate your needs and base your wants around that. This way you can make a more informed decision as to what you want. Here are some companies that provide biometric security devices:

• Home Security Store: Home Security Store has so much to offer. They carry fingerprint door lock devices, hand reader systems, and a host of other types of security devices. Give them a looking into and see if they have what you are looking for. The website is http://www.homesecuritystore.com/.
• Mr-Locks: Mr-Locks provides much in the way of security systems. They have keypads, controllers, fingerprint readers, and more. You would definitely have to go and take a look at what they have. Just go to http://mr-locks.com/ and see what types of security devices they carry. They may have something for you.
• Biometrics Direct: Biometrics Direct knows about security and they carry the latest of devices. They sell specially made deadbolt locks that only on the person's fingerprint that is scanned in will pick up. It has a do-it-yourself installation kit with complete instructions for easy assembly and installation. Go to http://www.biometricsdirect.com/ and check them out.
• Saflink: Saflink provides the solution to your security needs. They sell identify verified devices that will scan in fingerprints and guarantee the most accuracy possible. They sell these systems to government facilities, businesses, and even to some homes. To learn more about them just go to http://www.saflink.com/.

Virtual Offices Overview

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 21:00:14 +0000

You step into your office building with your briefcase and Wall Street Journal tucked underneath your arm while shaking the rain off of your trench coat. You board the elevator and take it to the fourth floor. The receptionist welcomes you by name and you ask how their weekend was and what they did with their family. On the way back to your desk, you grab a cup of coffee and hear the business gossip around the water cooler. Finally after all of your walking you go to your desk and someone is sitting there. Twenty years ago, you probably would have been extremely confused (and possibly a little upset) at this person, who you don't even know is sitting in your chair. But you simply walk out and move to the next office over and take that one for the day. The virtual office breaks open many of the common factors for what an office space looks like. Even this scenario is taking into account more of a typical or traditional office space.

To use the new idea of a virtual office, you must first understand the basics of it. The first is to understand if the virtual office even makes sense for who you are and what you do on a daily basis. The second question is to understand what you will find in a virtual office space - physical and personnel. The third question is to understand the importance of having just a virtual office address over other possibly mailing options out there for your own business. And the final is to grasp the concept of the online virtual office. This breaks all preconceived ideas of a typical office but allows the user a lot of freedom.

Who can or should use a virtual office?

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 21:06:31 +0000

This question is answered by telling who would and who wouldn't benefit from a virtual office. First the virtual office concept is built for a small personnel company. This means that a virtual office might work for a two-employee company but not for a large accounting firm that has over a hundred full-time employees. The small company may like this concept because it allows for more freedom. That is the second principle for a virtual office use. Virtual offices are made for people that want freedom of not having to come into the office. A business owner that must have access to a certain computer all the time that is located in an office may not want to use a virtual office. However someone that is on the go a lot of the time - perhaps traveling, then working from home, and then meeting with a constituent at their office or a restaurant may see the benefit of a virtual office.

Another key concept of who should use a virtual office is an urban dweller. This makes more sense because virtual offices tend to be set up in the city. If someone lives out in the country - hundreds of miles away from office - it may not be a good idea to invest in this kind of environment. Also a fourth concept to understand for the kind of person that wants a virtual office is one that is flexible on where they work. Many virtual office spaces will have quite a few smart desks with Internet and power capabilities and then some enclosed office areas for those that seek privacy or a space to meet with customers. If you come into the office and are upset because there is not room in one of the enclosed office spaces because you have reserved it, then you may want to use a traditional office idea.

What will you find in a virtual office space?

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 21:06:57 +0000

The first and primary thing that a virtual office space will have is a post office or a place to receive mail. If there is a box where mail is collected for a number of people, then there is an already a benefit to the virtual office space. (Find out more about the benefits of having a business address at your virtual office by going to the third question in this series) Past this key ingredient everything is else is just bonus. Most virtual offices will also have a receptionist that handles all of the different people that work out of the office. Sometimes this person will handle customer service calls that come in for the different companies, but most times this is simply a place for people to see a face when they come for a meeting or to take a general message from voice calls.

Virtual offices will also tend to have workspaces complete with computers or at least smart desks that allow users to set up their notebook computers. Another important point at the virtual office is the phone banks, which allow the different virtual office users to make outbound calls. Some other features of a virtual office space are: fax machines, copiers, and conference rooms, call answering services, and other office staff.

Why have a virtual office address over other mailing options?

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 21:07:24 +0000

To understand the benefit of having a virtual office mailing address over other mailing options is to first tell about the negative aspects of having these different options and then tell how these problems having a virtual office mailing address solves. The first option that many small business owners take is to have their mail sent to their home address. The first problem with this is the professional outlook by possible customers. 2392 Sussex Court may not look as professional as 2392 West 199th Street, Suite 130 for your accounting services. It just puts the customer in a more relaxing atmosphere when they that there money is being handled at a professional location. It also sends all of your business mail to one location instead of having to sort out daily home finances from business finances.

The second option is possibly using a post office box. The only problem with this is that no packages can be sent to this address. At some time with a business there will be a package sent to the address - with a virtual office you will not have this problem at all. Virtual offices can also solve the problem of junk business mail. If your virtual office employs the use of a mail distribution person then they may sort out the mail from junk mail that is being sent to that address. You can also set up your virtual office to send the mail to another address if you can't come pick it up in time.

What is an online virtual office?

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 21:07:50 +0000

The online virtual office is taking the typical virtual office to the next level. The online virtual office is for the business owner that hardly ever needs an office space. They own a laptop with wireless Internet so that they can work anywhere. The actual virtual office comes into play when the user logs onto their computer. Somewhere out there is a server hard drive that has files on them that certain people can access. This information is out there for different people within the company. Perhaps some of the files are for certain eyes only and protected through certain passwords, and others are used by all of the employees.

The online virtual office can also be seen with video teleconferencing. These cutting edge technologies allow companies to not pay the overhead for an office building but still are extremely blatant with allowing their employees to interact with important documents and each other.