The Ekaru Technology Advisor  Vol 6-7  September 2006

Welcome to this month's issue! The Technology Advisor's mission is to provide quick technology tips and trends to help you manage and grow your business!

Backup - Is your data really backed up?
Every once in a while we get a call from a small business with a data disaster. The backup that they thought was running perfectly, wasn't really backing up what they thought it was, and their data was put at risk. It is important to know that if your backup seems to be running just fine, it might not be. If you're very lucky, you'll never need to restore a file, but in case you do, it's important to know it's there when you need it. We recommend that the following backup parameters be checked on a regular basis:

• When was the last backup? Verify the date and the time. Any files you generated or modified since your last backup are not yet protected.
• What files are being backed up? Is the list inclusive of everything you need? A very common mistake is to miss e-mail files. Your ".pst" file is located in your application data directory, NOT in "My Documents". Example: C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. Also be aware that this is a "hidden folder" and you will need to "show hidden files and folders" to see it. Be sure to properly locate QuickBooks files as well, if you use this product.
• How many files were backed up? Note that the initial backup is a full backup and then subsequent backups are typically incremental. The number of files and the data set size should match what is expected.
• It's a good idea to practice a restore - on a test file - to make sure the process works as expected.

Finally, if you have any data that is highly critical, you may want to seriously consider a redundant backup for extra protection. We are definitely seeing a trend in requests for redundant backup. No backup solution is 100% perfect!

Lunch Time Webinar! Office 2007 Preview
Wednesday, October 4 at 12 noon
Joe Bakan of Ekaru will be presenting a preview of Office 2007 in our first webinar of the season on Wednesday October 4 at 12noon. Send us an email if you'd like to join us. There is no charge for the event. You'll be able to "attend" from the comfort of your own desktop! Get a sneak peak at some of the really great features coming in the next version of Microsoft Office.

WestNET Tour de Westford
Ekaru is one of the proud sponsors of the upcoming "Tour de Westford 2006". This is a 12-mile or 30-mile bicycle tour of Westford to raise funds to benefit the Westford School System. WestNET (Westford Networks for Education and Technology Partnership) is a cooperative effort by education, business, school and residential communities of Westford to provide classroom access to the information highway and Internet for all schools in town. If you are looking for something fun to do on Sunday October 8, follow this link for more information.

Constant Contact Business Seminar
Would you like to start an e-newsletter like this for your business? We have used Constant Contact for our e-newsletter for the past several years. We highly recommend this product. On October 17 at 7:30am, come hear Eric Groves, Senior Vice President of Constant Contact talk about "The Power of Relationships". This "Business Before Hours" event is being given by the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce (www.mwcoc.com). The fee is $15 for members and $25 for non members. Location: Holiday Inn Boxborough Woods (242 Adams Place; Boxborough, MA 01719). Register on-line with the MW COC.

Ekaru in the News!

Ready or not, Windows Vista is almost here
Westford Eagle - August 31, 2006

Tip: Create a Task Timeline in Outlook
If you'd like a more visual view of your task list in Outlook, try the "Task Timeline" view. In Outlook, select "Tasks" and then select from the "view" choices, then "Task Timeline". Instead of a long list of things to do, you'll get a quick snapshot of the important things in the next few days, presented in a linear timeline. You can scroll forward in time and get a picture view of your workload and deliverables. Give it a try!

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   Back to School! Back to Business!

Sincerely,
Team Ekaru

Introductory Technology Assessment Over 250 local small businesses have chosen Ekaru to manage their computers and networks. We offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation to get started. We'll visit your office, review your network, and make recommendations. Call us at 978-692-4200 or email us to schedule a no-obligation assessment. If you know someone who could benefit from this offer, simply forward this email to them. Thank You!

           
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