ITC are proud to announce that today John passed his latest Microsoft exam with flying colours and has qualified as a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) in Windows 7, which is a globally recognised certification that is part of the Microsoft Certified Professional program. Congratulations John!
Our recent partnership has brought us specialised anti-malware protection by Malwarebytes. Malware is considered a mix of malicious software that can infect your computer, most of which may just cause your computer to crash or slow down. However, in some cases, they may be programmed to use your computer to send spam or even steal your credit card information.
You can now be fully protected against Malware with the protection provided by ITC. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is fully supported on Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7 (both 32 and 64-bit) and can scan your computer to eliminate malware at the click of a button. Their “quick scan” swiftly searches your computer for all the common places malware like to hide, placing anything it finds in secure quarantine. We were happy with the speed of the Quick Scan, performing a 132,035 object scan (files and folders) in less than 12 minutes without any computer slow down. We also found the automatic quick scans and updates were an excellent tool in protecting yourself against and eliminating malware. Take a look below at some of the screen-shots we created:
 Select where you want to scan. |
 Scan your computer for malware in minutes |
 Download new malware definitions quickly. |
 Managing your automatic scanning and updates. |
 Checking your quarantine in MalwareBytes. |
 Check previous scans history easily. |
If you’re interested in protecting yourself against Malware, or if you have any questions about MalwareBytes in particular, please get in touch.
ITC decided to take some time out of their schedule to beta test the new Office 2010 by Microsoft. Replacing Office 2007, it offers many new and exciting features. Some of the features we found most useful were:
 Management information through Backstage. |
 Saving your spreadsheet using Windows Live |
Microsoft Backstage on Office 2010
Microsoft have decided to release a free but limited version of Office (Word and Excel) which comes pre-installed when you purchase a new computer. However, typical pricing for the boxed editions of Office will be around £110 for Home/Student and £240 for Home/Business. If you can live without the CD however, further discounts are available for “Key Card” versions of Office, which would have either been pre-installed or downloaded.
We knew that our partnership with 2x would allow us to extend the range of services we already provide many of our business customers. ITC are now able to provide flexible remote access solutions for desktops, files and applications. One of these business customers has already taken advantage of 2x’s ApplicationServer, granting several users secure access to their accounting software and bespoke applications from anywhere.
To show how the ApplicationServer works, we’ve included some screen-shots of the server we configured at ITC on Windows Server 2003 (it also supports Server 2008). As you’ll see, adding individual applications is easy, and the manager allows you to configure user security for each application, and computer security for all your applications.
To access the applications configured using ApplicationServer, you can install the client for Windows, Linux and Mac. There is also a portable version of the client, giving you plug and play access to your applications and files anywhere you go.
 Adding Predefined Applications in 2x ApplicationServer |
 It's easy to add applications Using the Application Wizard. |
 You can configure Advanced Application Settings |
 Enforcing Computer Security (using MAC Addresses) with 2x ApplicationServer. |
 You can enforce User Security per application based on Active Directory or Local Users. |
 Each application runs in it's own window, without loading the whole remote desktop. |
If you know you could benefit from a remote access solution, looking for a cheaper Citrix alternative, or simply interested in how sharing applications and desktops can help your business, please contact us.
To fulfil the requirements of one of our business customers, ITC have recently partnered with 2X to extend the range of remote access and thin client solutions. Thin clients provide your normal desktop environment but move the processing and storage to a server rather than the individual computer. This has several advantages; it generates cost savings on computer hardware, reduce administrative effort in maintaining the operating systems and provides increased data security and reliability. However, more importantly for our customer, Thin clients offer complete flexibility, making your desktop and it’s data completely mobile. Our business customer now has access to their accounting software, bespoke applications and data from anywhere they work.
Our partnership with 2X will allow you to take advantage of their Virtual Desktop Server (several operating systems on one server), Application Server (share any of your applications locally and remotely) and Thin Client Servers.
If security is paramount in your business, or you need reliable 24/7 access to your data, then a thin client solution is what you need. If you have any questions regarding our Thin Client or Remote Access solutions, or would simply like to discuss your requirements, please contact us.
Being committed to protecting our customers from online threats, ITC has recently achieved Partner status with the award winning Malwarebytes.org. This partnership will allow us add fast, reliable and affordable anti-spyware and anti-malware protection to our existing range. The Anti-Malware software we can now offer our customers will search for, detect and safely remove any spyware or malware that may be on your computer. It also scans your computer in the background to ensure it’s kept safe and secure.
ITC have been using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for several years, and thoroughly recommend their software. We find it very easy to use and effective at eliminating any spyware, without grinding your computer to a halt. If you’re interested in learning more about our range of computer protection and how it can protect you (including anti-virus and firewall), please feel free to get in touch.
Windows Update message displayed
On March 1st, you’re likely to receive a Microsoft update that may be a little confusing! Once downloading the update, a message will appear giving you the opportunity to change your Internet browser. This update is a result of Microsoft being accused of becoming anti-competitive for bundling their browser (Internet Explorer) with their Windows operating systems. Due to EU regulations, Microsoft have been asked to present all their users a chance to download and install other web browsers- including Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome.
If you do receive this update (click the images to the left for larger screenshots) you have the option of discarding it the keeping your current Internet browser, or changing it.
Choosing your browser with Windows Update
If you’re currently using Internet Explorer and looking to try out another Internet browser, ITC recommend Mozilla Firefox.
We use it on all our computers and find it stable, easy to use and very customisable. If you’re interested in learning more about Firefox, and the available add-ons, click the links!
Our popular online backup service now gives you the ability to automatically synchronise documents between multiple computers and laptops. This is brilliant for accessing and easily updating your documents on the move.
For customers who use our online backup service, the configuration is simple. Open the online backup service (Usually found through Start, All Programs, My Secure Backup) click Configure then Sync Folders (click image below for example).
Sync Folders with ITC Online Backup
On the next screen click Add Sync Folder then Browse to locate your local folder (the one on your computer). You can then select what you would like to sync. Click OK to complete.
After both Germany and France issued warnings in regards to Internet Explorer 6, a patch has finally been released to fix the loop hole. ITC recommend installing this patch (KB978207) which is available to download from here or Windows Update. If you haven’t already, we also recommend updating your Internet Browser. If you need any help with this, please let us know!
The open source email client, Mozilla Thunderbird has just updated to version 3. The new and improved Thunderbird 3, released two years after the 2nd, boasts a new tab system to manage your email and multiple accounts easily, greater search functionality and a excellent automated email set-up.
Automatic Set-up with Thunderbird 3
When first opening Thunderbird, you’ll be asked to enter a name, email address and password. After entering the information required, it will automatically attempt to configure your incoming and outgoing mail server, searching several alternatives until it finds the right one!
Tabbed Email in Thunderbird 3
The new search engine is brilliant at finding the email you want in a matter of seconds. You can search your sent items, Inbox for emails from a certain address or within a time frame you choose. The search then opens up in it’s own handy tab.
The Thunderbird team has produced some nice idea’s for their new email client. The automated email set-up is a great idea, although I can see issues with custom email accounts and primarily using IMAP instead of POP.