Is Your Small Office Ready to Ditch 'Office'?
SmartBiz.com (09/10/07) ; Karpinski, Rich

Web "office suites" from Microsoft, Google, Ximbra, and Zoho are becoming alternatives to Microsoft Office. Web-based alternatives offer small business a lot of the same functions as Microsoft Office packages, although they have some important differences, including the fact that they cost less. Google Apps, for example, is usually free. The current batch of Web office applications are much more advanced than previous versions. AJAX technology means working with a Web-based application is highly similar to utilizing a desktop application. Users get drag-and-drop, in-place formatting, interactive menus, and additional features. Vendors are also trying to overcome the challenge of online access to applications that are Web-based. This means that technology such as Google Gears allows users to obtain access to their documents even if they are offline.
http://www.smartbiz.com/article/articleview/2172/1/62

Don't Let Backup Take a Back Seat
Globe and Mail (CAN) (09/11/07) P. 10 ; Lima, Paul

According to a recent study conducted by TNS NFO, a majority of small firms do not back up their files and have not implemented data disaster plans. Lost data can mean lost productivity and money; the Association of Small Business Development Centers claims data crises affect about one-quarter of small firms every year, forcing them to devote upwards of $20,000 and about 21 days to data re-entry. However, there are several affordable tools on the market to help small businesses back up data and safeguard against disasters. Symantec's $90 Norton Ghost 12.0 program can be configured to back up complete hard drives or just new files daily. Higher-end network products from Symantec, priced from $400, let companies centralize, back up, and share information. Companies will need to determine whether backup files are to be kept in the office or offsite, which is where virtual storage options play an important role. Toronto's Virtual Tape Drive is just one virtual data backup option that allows users to store data over an Internet connection on a remote server, which is in turn backed up by another remote server. There are set-up and monthly fees attached to many of these virtual services. While periodic or daily backups are best, companies can work with data recovery services to retrieve unsaved data from hard drives and other storage media.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070911.TQ7PG10
/TPStory/

Keep Your Internet Access Going During a Power Outage
Small Business Computing (09/07/07) ; Moran, Joseph

Small business owners would be wise to purchase an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) device to maintain productivity during power outages. A desktop computer plugged into a UPS device will provide five minutes to 20 minutes of work time, allowing users to save files and shut down. UPS devices can power network hardware--namely a DSL/cable gateway and broadband router--for a couple of hours so that necessary tasks can be completed via notebook computer; users should keep in mind that desktop computers use a lot more power than network equipment.
http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/webmaster/article.php/36983
16

Online Tools Give Home-Based Firms Office-Style Services
Wall Street Journal (09/11/07) P. B8 ; Bounds, Gwendolyn

Web-based office applications from such providers as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and eBay are making it possible for entrepreneurs to work from home without any staff and minimal upfront investments in hardware and software. Small-business owners need only a computer or handheld device and an Internet connection to access these services. With Google Apps, for example, users can share documents and calendars and take advantage of e-mail, chat, and instant messaging tools and Web-site hosting at no cost. For an annual fee of $50 per user, they can get additional storage space, e-mail migration tools, and access to virtual conference rooms. Meanwhile, Microsoft Office Live offers many of the same tools as well as online banking, invoicing, and credit-card processing. The basic tools can be used for free, but more advanced functionality comes with a monthly fee of $19.95 or $39.95. Before selecting an online application suite, users would be wise to determine whether it is suitable for a growing business.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118946365212923064.html

Tech Check
Entrepreneur (09/01/07) ; Hogan, Mike

One of the most difficult issues for growing businesses is keeping up with rapidly changing technologies, experts say. While large firms can easily hire IT staff to handle upgrades, smaller companies must use alternative means to efficiently update technology. One tip from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based CableOrganizer.com is to lease equipment, especially if it is likely to quickly become outdated. Not only can equipment be rented, but companies like CDW, CompUSA, and Dell provide IT consulting on a pay-as-you-go basis to save on long-term expenses. Ken Sim, co-founder of Nurse Next Door, suggests that managers installing VoIP equipment make sure the technology is compatible with their business needs, a lesson he learned when his home healthcare firm lost an estimated $100,000 in revenue due to a poor choice of PBX phone systems. For telecommuters, GoToMyPC allows users to access a work computer from home, but experts recommend encrypting data or using biometric security tokens to minimize security risks associated with off-site computers. Internet warehouses like Carbonite, eVault, and Xdrive back up data in case of a disaster, and OpenOffice.org 2.2 can be downloaded for free and used when Microsoft Office programs are out of commission. Staying on top of new technology can be pricey and time consuming, but CableOrganizer.com CEO Valerie Holstein encourages other executives to push for zero downtime--an effort she believes helped her company break into larger markets.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2007/september/
183016.html

Streamline Your File Backups
Processor (08/31/07) Vol. 29 , No. 35 , ; Harler, Curt

Standardization of computer hard-drive backups and copying just the altered information will save both money and time. Keeping a uniform structure of folders and files on all of the network's computers makes handling backup jobs simpler and quicker. In addition, transferring a disk-based backup system with replication and deduplication to another site can be beneficial, as it does not mandate any adjustments to the backup software and tasks but immediately lessens the backup window, decreases restoration time, and eradicates tape dependability and management problems. Backup to networked random-access storage, including NAS, allows information-technology staff to back up several servers simultaneously. Companies can also outsource their standardization needs, and should think about using servers that offer comprehensive disaster recovery preparation and testing, and installation services to guarantee complete corporate continuity. If a computer network crashes, it is a good idea to begin anew and set up a new hard disk with an already-installed operating system and applications, and then reinitiate work files in their various directories. Companies may also want to consider using a disk-based backup with a disk-based copy stored at another location.
http://www.processor.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/P
2935/22p35/22p35.asp&guid=

Linking Controls To Financial Reports
Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Journal (08/07)

Movaris unveiled a new product, the OneClose Scoping Manager, which automatically classifies controls as either in-scope or out-of-scope after assessing account balances with pre-defined regulations. As a result, the Scoping Manager highlights the most critical controls, enabling companies to focus their compliance efforts and thereby save time and money. Indeed, stricter scoping of mandated actions is the top area where financial professionals anticipate decreasing compliance costs, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Anne Marchetti of Parson Consulting adds that the Movaris Scoping Manager reduces the cost of compliance by up to 40 percent, a significant amount considering that yearly SOX compliance expenditures average $4.1 million per public company. Moreover, regulators urge public companies to connect their financial reporting activities to their internal controls framework, as doing so achieves a top-down scooping strategy that will streamline internal controls testing endeavors.
http://www.s-ox.com/news/detail.cfm?articleID=1908