| |
|
Migrating from Mac OS9 to
OSX is no small task.
Although most OS9 applications will run in
OSX under a form of emulation called Classic, it has many disadvantages
including memory usage and stability and should be avoided if at all possible. This means replacing pretty
much every piece of OS9 software you use with a native OSX version. It also means you must locate OSX drivers for every piece of hardware you still wish to use from printers to scanners, cameras to storage devices.
gsm has vast experience in smoothly transitioning companies from OS9 to OSX.
The power of OSX comes at the price of complexity which threatened to seriously increase the time & cost of supporting Macs because it is so much harder to repair OSX and it takes so long to install and setup a complete workstation from scratch.
The single most significant saving grace for medium to large networks has been disk cloning which involves cloning a master disk containing a standard configuration for your company including all software, font, driver etc. you want but without any machine specific serial numbers etc. Using a carefully developed routine, gsm can use this procedure to produce a disk image which can not only be used to setup new Macs, but to re-setup problem machines in a fraction of the time it takes to install from scratch.
Servers are critical to most networks but often overlooked because the cost seems unreasonable for a machine which "no-one uses". Yet your data is probably the most valuable commodity your company owns and ensuring that it"s always intact, always accessible, always safe and always backed up no matter what, is vitally important.
Whether your data requirements are measured in megabytes, gigabytes or terabytes, we can advise, specify and install a solution that is right for you. We have extensive experience in simple solutions to complex installations involving environmentally controlled server environments, dedicated servers, remote monitoring, RAID solutions, all forms of backup medium, autoloaders, power supply conditioning and power failure protection.
Most company's have some kind of backup system but have often not thought through it's implications and usefullness in the event of various different scenarios. Archiving is often not seen as distinct from backup but it is very different and just as important that the right solution and procedure be implimented to ensure that no data is ever lost and every file you ever create can be easily located at any time in the future.
There are many different backup & archive strategies which suite different applications, so many different storage mediums, data speeds and form factors but gsm can ensure that you have the right solution.
A poor network or internet connection is like crawling along in traffic on a motorway.
It wastes your time and drives you mad. At worst it can corrupt your data or allow a security breach. High speed networking and wireless access is now cheaper than ever and within everyone's reach. With careful analysis of potential data bottlenecks and identification of logical workgroups, the efficiency and speed of communications on your network can be optimised.
Affordable high speed internet access is also a reality but it's not so easy ensuring you have a fast enough connection, fallback connection if required and sufficient security to keep out unwanted intruders while giving you the level of remote accessto services you require.
Whether it's ADSL, Cable or leased line gsm can advise you on the right solution.
Keeping a centralised record of all the hardware your company owns complete with purchase date, serial number, configuration, model, user, location, repair history etc. can be suprisingly helpful.
Whether it's trying to locate a cetain piece of hardware, producing a fixed asset register for insurance or accounting purposes, proving information to insurers or the police in the event of a theft or just looking up the details of an item without crawling around under a desk or removing it from a cabinet.
Once an initial audit has been done, keeping this up-to-date with new purchases is a relatively simple task.
The true value of a full & detailed record of all the software you own does not become truly evident until you haven't got one!
Where you have differerent serial numbers for different machines, then keeping a record of these and which machines they are allocated to not only makes re-loading much quicker but helps track whether all your software is legal. Upgrading software will often require you to supply existing serial numbers which is easy when they are all listed on a spreadsheet or database.
Although completing an initial audit to record all the current software can be a complex task of piecing together your own records, disks & invoices as well as contacting software publishers to check their records, once gsm have completed this task for you, keeping the records updated with new purchases is a simple task.
There are many things which can cause a system as complex as a Mac running OSX from performing at 100%. From faulty hardware such as memory modules, hard disks or cabling to corrupt disk structures, software conflicts, virus infection, font corruption/clashes or incorrect file permissions. Maybe it's just that the machine is being held back by insufficient memory, disk space or network speed.
How do you know which it is?
That's where we come in with well over a decade's experience of getting machines to their optimum performace, gsm can help you maximise the return on your IT investment.
A gsm systems consultancy contract is not a hardware support contract and does not offer guaranteed response times or loan equipment. As such, it may still be necessary to have a hardware maintenance contract on key critical pieces of hardware. However, we can provide hardware repair on most items and will recommend an appropriate solution for your company.
In most cases, provision can be put in place so that only the most mission critical items such as your file server need be placed under an external contract and the rest of the hardware can be supported and repaired as required by gsm. This will invariably result in a reduction in support costs and a better response in the event of hardware failure.
Talk to gsm in more detail about how such an arrangement might help you.
Specifying a complete workstation is a complex task given the choice of software, licencing options, potential software conflicts, the bewildering array of storage and backup options, not to mention the basic choice of which Mac model, screen and memory level is right for you. That's just a basic workstation. What about server's, printers or the office network?
The problem facing most companies is that they need expert advice but seek it from their hardware supplier who, however good, is influenced by which products gain them the highest profit margins or which manufacturers they have partnered with. How do you get truly objective, yet expert advise?
gsm is the impartial expert there to give you the best advice and protect you from bad IT investments.
How confident are you that your network is secure from the internet or from wireless access? How confident are you that your office is physically secure from hardware theft? How confident are you that your sensitive client data is safe from falling into tthe wrong hands? How confident are you that you system is protected against virus infection?
If any of these issues cause you concern we don't wish to fuel fear but we would like to help put your mind at rest by assessing your existing systems and where appropriate, adviseing on additional measures to protect your company.
Mac users are often smug that there are relatively few Mac viruses. The mistake, however, is to believe that the threat is insignificant. It is not!
We have to deal with virus situations regularly, particularly from platform independent viruses such as macro viruses. The most common type are those that propogate using the built in macro scripting language within Microsoft application. A good virus defense is essential but it's also important to know how to deal with a virus if it does get through.
gsm has had vast experience in dealing with virus protection having reported new viruses and decontaminated entire networks and file servers and we can ensure you are protected and prepared.
High speed internet access
has made remote support viable and cost effective. With direct,
yet secure access to work on your file server, mail server, web
server, internet router and as many workstations as you wish, it is now possible to not only deal with urgent problems remotely but also to monitor the performance and reliability of the critical components of your system.
We can diagnose server access problems, check that backups are functioning, test network performance and a host of other valuable function. gsm can provide this comprehensive remote support if you so wish.
Most companies are aware that their staff need to know how to use their applications proficiently and therefore the value of application training but often they are not trained in good working practice.
Knowing how and where to store and organise work, how to keep their machines well maintained, what they are and are not allowed to install on their machines, how to archive and retrieve historical work, how to manage fonts and how to prepare files for output. Ensuring that the user's knowlege is in line with the companies working practices ensures that the whole office is working together; efficiently.
We also believe in imparting sufficient technical knowlege to the appropriate staff so that over time you are able to handle many routine problems without being dependent on gsm. |
|
|
merseyside