February 2007
In this issue...

√ Success Story
√ Choosing Vista
√ Employee Spotlight
√ Spring Training
√ Office Tip
 

Success Story:
IT Solutions Helps The Philadelphia Flower Show's Technology Bloom

Background
Founded in 1827, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is a not-for-profit organization serving over 16,000 members. With more than 100 employees, PHS provides events, activities and publications for novice gardeners, experienced horticulturists and flower lovers of all ages. PHS's award-winning Philadelphia Green program brings vibrant green spaces to Philadelphia's downtown area and neighborhoods. PHS also produces The Philadelphia Flower Show, the largest indoor flower show in the world.

The Challenge
As PHS has grown over the years, so too has its technology needs. Joe Robinson, PHS's network manager, not only has to manage the day-to-day IT systems for the society, but is also responsible for the backend technology infrastructure for the annual Flower Show. With approximately 3,500 volunteers helping run the event and approximately 265,000 visitors over the eight-day period, this can be a daunting task.

Robinson had outsourced his tech support in the past to an outside firm, but as PHS's IT challenges grew, he felt that it was outgrowing this service provider and was considering other options. In 2002, the firm was acquired by IT Solutions and Robinson decided to test the new firm's capabilities on a few projects. Within six months of working with IT Solutions, PHS had factored its new service provider into its expansion plans.

The Solution
The first project was to address PHS's security issues. "We had been building onto our IT infrastructure with ‘duct tape' and although it was fulfilling our needs, I was coming in at 4:00 a.m. to upgrade virus signatures," said Robinson. "We needed to cost-effectively automate our security function and better protect our users."

Before IT Solutions, the IT team had to go to each employee's desktop to do maintenance, upgrades, etc. PHS now manages its patching, upgrades, and routine troubleshooting utilizing remote and "push" technologies, enabling it to better protect its data and keep the network up and running.

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PC security: 5 Reasons for Choosing Windows Vista for Your Small Business

Worried about computer viruses? Concerned about the safety of your company's data?  You're in good company.

If you run a small business, you probably don't just feel like a target. Your company probably is a target. Small businesses are frequent victims of cyberattacks, according to several recent studies. And a 2006 Yankee Group survey found that 40 percent of small business owners rank protecting their companies from outside security breaches as an important issue.

Interestingly, the same Yankee Group study found that half of all small business owners delayed a technology upgrade because of costs. But what if you could address many small business security concerns by upgrading your operating system? By deploying Windows Vista, your small business could effectively kill two birds with one proverbial stone: (1) realizing the performance benefits of a new operating system, and (2) addressing important cyber-security concerns.

Here are five ways that Windows Vista helps your small business run safer:

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