Although ten years of experience with cloud computing is enough to impress most prospects, there is another subtle but very important difference (for cost savings and security).   IVDesk provides ‘Insurance’ that on-site servers and ‘partly cloudy’ MSPs do not.  Let us explain by what we mean by ‘insurance.’

1. IVDesk Data security systems and protocols are far more stringent than our customers could achieve with on-site servers.  This includes encrypted remote access from laptops, not to mention eliminating the need for any company data on laptops.

2. The IVDesk environment is built to eliminate all normal risks associated with on-site server failure or local disasters.  If you have a fire and/or water damages your offices and servers, you could rent a hotel conference room, turn on your laptops and be back in business with all necessary data.  Immediately!

3. IVDesk customers will never experience a debilitating server failure.  IVDesk has made an unusual investment to provide backup (redundant) server technology for failover protection within minutes.  If your on-site or co-located server fails, your business could be down for hours or perhaps days and experience significant repair or replacement costs as well.

4. The IVDesk 24X7 help desk is available to all our customer’s employees.  In your eyes, we don’t go on vacation, take sick days or charge you for after-hours calls.  You don’t pay any extra to talk to our network experts.

5. If you are on IVDesk, opening a new office will be a simple matter of providing internet access, and adding new users to IVDesk.  We can have your new location up and running in a matter of hours and without capital investment.

6. You will have predictable costs (monthly user fees) through the term of the contract.  Once setup, you are assured that user fees will not change during the contract term.

As further evidence of what differentiates IVDesk, notice the cost savings chart.  Our costs will be lower than outlays for new equipment, programming and support for internal systems.  More importantly, the grey column components represent the ‘insurance’ (value-added benefits) described above.  You won’t realize the redundancy, HIPAA or FINRA compliance with co-located or on-site servers.

There is an enormous difference with IVDesk.  Would you drive a car without insurance?  Why take a risk and rely on traditional hosted services.  Come to IVDesk and get on the ‘cloud’ – with ‘insurance.’

www.IVDesk.com

IVDesk was a key contributor to the myEasyView® and mySecureBill® solutions that were the core of the award and we’re honored to be included in attendance and recognition.  APEX has been a great customer and partner in the development of, what has become, the industry leader in the statement-processing industry. 

Please join us in congratulating APEX on their win!  You can read the press release here.

Bill Sorenson
bsorenson@ivdesk.com
www.IVDesk.com

So, if you ever need to move Junxure to another environment, another server, another mapped drive, etc., these files end up disconnected from the Junxure records themselves.  So, calling Junxure Support should help, don’t you think???  Well, their answer for everyone is the same.  Go into each contact with documents, delete the documents and then go find them and re-attach them.  You’ve got to be kidding.

So, there is an answer and it’s very easy.  You’ll need to go into the database and run some simple queries to find out how they’re saved now and then to change them.  We had a few clients move to us just recently and needed to fix it.  So, here’s the fix:

First, the old location was P:\Junxure\CompanyFiles\…   and the new location is really S:\JunxureData\Junxure\CompanyFiles.  So we need to find these files, verify that they are saved currently in the old location, do an update to the records to change them, and verify the change.  Before you start, MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD FULL BACKUP OF THE DATABASE!  This should always be the case, but, worth reminding all of us.

To find the records you can issue these commands where Client_Junxure is the database name:
SELECT [ClientActionDocumentID]
      ,[ClientActionID]
      ,[DocDesc]
      ,[FileName]
  FROM [Client_Junxure].[dbo].[tblClientActionsDocuments]
  WHERE LEFT(FileName,2)=’P:’

SELECT [EstateDocumentID]
      ,[ClientID]
      ,[Filename]
  FROM [Client_Junxure].[dbo].[tblClientEstateDocuments]
  WHERE LEFT(FileName,2)=’P:’

SELECT [EmailAttachID]
      ,[EmailID]
      ,[FileName]
  FROM [Client_Junxure].[dbo].[tblClientActionsEmailAttachments]
  WHERE LEFT(FileName,2)=’P:’

This will return the records and allow you to see that P: is the current drive.  If you don’t know the current drive, just remove the WHERE clause. 

Ok, next let’s fix it.  The update commands are listed below to change the P:\ to S:\JunxureData for all the records:

UPDATE [Client_Junxure].[dbo].[tblClientActionsDocuments]
SET FileName=’S:\JunxureData’+ RIGHT(Filename, LEN(Filename)-2)
WHERE LEFT(FileName,2)=’P:’

UPDATE [Client_Junxure].[dbo].[tblClientActionsEmailAttachments]
SET FileName=’S:\JunxureData’+ RIGHT(Filename, LEN(Filename)-2)
WHERE LEFT(FileName,2)=’P:’

UPDATE [Client_Junxure].[dbo].[tblClientEstateDocuments]
SET FileName=’S:\JunxureData’+ RIGHT(Filename, LEN(Filename)-2)
WHERE LEFT(FileName,2)=’P:’

You can go back and run the initial SELECT queries to verify that everything has changed and all is good.  Then, get into Junxure and start opening documents as well. 

You would think that Junxure would have a fix for this or at least information on how to do the above, but, they don’t release that.  Give this a try after you do the backup and good luck.  As with anything like this, this is for information purposes only and any problems that you may cause are your responsibility.

Good Luck!

Bill Sorenson
CEO
www.IVDesk.com

So, what’s the solution? 
IVDesk customers believe the solution is to move all applications to IVDesk’s Cloud hosted desktops and network.  We’ve been doing Cloud Computing for almost 10 years!  You heard that right, 10 years!  Other providers are just starting in the arena and struggling.  Some are hosting just one or two applications.  Some rely on many different vendors that provide partial solutions so you still have to struggle.

What makes us different?
At IVDesk, we host all your applications, not just one or two, but all your applications.  What does this really mean?  We move your complete environment to the Cloud.  All your applications, data, files and folders, everything, moves to IVDesk.  We provide 24 x 7 Helpdesk for every employee making sure everyone’s needs get taken care of. Our solution gives you a true and complete Cloud solution.  Everything runs remotely and you’re provided with a Windows desktop with every application that you’re currently using.

What does it feel like in the IVDesk Cloud?
It feels like Windows 7.  You can login securely from any Internet connection and access  a familiar Windows desktop.  It can run on multiple screens if you’d like.  It loads in 15 seconds or so and all your icons and shortcuts are right there on the desktop.  When you open up My Computer, you see the normal drive letters and folders that you see now.  You will be amazed at how fast Office 2010, Outlook and your other applications run.  The experience is great.

It’s has to be expensive, doesn’t it?
Not at all.  You actually  just pay for what you use.  There’s a small setup fee and a monthly fee per user based on the applications being run.  If your staff grows you just add monthly user fees.  If you shrink and remove users, fees are removed.  There’s no capital to spend and everything’s included.  You can call the Helpdesk 1,000 times in a month, that’s included.  Your currently unpredictable expenses become extremely predictable in the IVDesk Cloud.

How can I find out if this fits for us?
Just contact us and we’ll do a quick review and provide a comparison of costs and features.  Whether your business is complex or straight-forward, the process is the same.  We review what you’re running, how much data you have, your locations and Internet connections, and then come back with a view of what things would be like in IVDesk.  We have references for you to talk with and cost comparisons that let you input your own numbers.

Find out today how cloud computing fits and get out of running your own IT department.  Our experts are always available, don’t take vacations, and really can make this change smooth for you.  You have nothing to lose but your IT worries.

Bill Sorenson
CEO
www.IVDesk.com

What if there was a solution that ran in the cloud and would run all your applications, provide 24×7 support for all your employees, allow you to work from anywhere, and have Disaster Recovery built-in?  Then, what if you paid for what you used rather than needing to buy servers, licenses, support, disaster recovery, backup, etc. for your environment?  And was easy to move to and dramatically cost-effective?

There is such a solution!  IVDesk has been a cloud solution provider for almost 10 years now.  That’s right, we’ve been hosting all of our customers’ applications and providing virtual desktops with all the above services for that long.  A solid solution and solid company that continues to provide remarkable service and a pay for use model for our customers.

Give us a call today or check us out at www.IVDesk.com and see if it’s a fit for you.  Why not get a real cloud solution that fits your exact needs today!

Bill Sorenson
CEO
bsorenson@ivdesk.com

By using a VPN to connect to a central application or file location, you’re hand-cuffing the user with poor performance.  So poor in fact that most remote locations where this occurs struggle every day.  You have a centralized application, or many of them, that users across the country need access to and that’s they way the “industry” thinks it should happen.  Not productive!

A VPN isn’t the answer, in fact, it allows the problem to exist.  The answer is hosting that application in the cloud at either a data center or by utilizing a cloud service like IVDesk.  By moving the application to IVDesk we can make it available to all locations and have the user experience as good as if they were right next to the servers.  Imagine that all your applications run very fast from every location across the country.  No more slow-downs, no more waiting, just connect, login, and go! 

That’s how all our customers work and have been working for almost a decade!  Connect from any Internet connection securely, run all your applications from within a virtual remote desktop, and work as if you were in the main office all the time.  Even when you’re working at night from home or remotely from a hotel anywhere. 

Get connected today and get more information about moving your applications to a centralized hosted location, IVDesk.  Besides the obvious benefits, cost saving can be dramatic.  Give us a call today to get a review started and see if there’s a fit for you.

Thanks,
Bill Sorenson
CEO
www.IVDesk.com

Although cloud computing has been available for almost a decade, many smaller businesses are not aware that they too could reduce capital expenditures and eliminate internal IT functions, all while increasing employee and customer access to their applications on a secure hosted solution.   Barriers to discovery of cloud computing for smaller businesses might be the distracted executives trying to limp along on dated server technology, perhaps an IT technician protecting their job, or simply a lack of an understanding about the technology that is available to businesses of any size.  The following items are plain language descriptions of cloud technology and associated benefits available to every business.

Access from Anywhere on The Cloud – The ‘Cloud’ is named after the picture of a cloud that systems designers use to represent the internet.  Any business can move their applications and files for Outlook, Office, QuickBooks, CRM and proprietary applications to servers hosted at a secure data center, and access them via the internet. 

Familiar Desktops with Microsoft Server Applications – Your ‘cloud’ desktop will appear virtually the same as it does on your laptop or desktop.  IVDesk uses the Microsoft Windows Server Platform, and Microsoft Terminal Services to provide remote access to company networks and  Microsoft Exchange Server as the primary email system.  The goal is to provide faster and totally secure access to your data in the same environment (desktop) you had on you local network.

Security and Availability at a Tier III Data Center – Most businesses don’t build their own buildings.  Many people lease their cars or trucks.  Why buy and maintain your own servers when it can be handled for you?   IVDesk provides servers at a very secure data center that is available more than 99.95% of the time.  These data centers have multiple power sources to ensure access and several levels of security to protect your company data.

Recovery with Hot and Cold Backup and Redundancy: What do you do when your local server crashes?  Will you have immediate recovery?  Cloud computing providers like IVDesk will configure your systems to ensure that if there is any hardware failure, a backup system (virtual server) is immediately available for recovery within minutes with no lost data.

Secure Internet Transmissions with Encryption – Your companies data is held and protected in the data center and your access to that environment is encrypted using current technologies.  No data is moved to remote computers or crosses the Internet unless you want it to.  Everything stays secure with only your keystrokes and screen changes crossing your encrypted connection.  Needless to say, your data is safer staying in the data center then it is sitting on a server in your office closet.

Special Company Needs Via Virtual Private Networks (VPN) – Every company is different.  There are very few applications that can’t be hosted on the cloud.  VPNs are occasionally required for special printing or file transfer needs.  They are an extension of the hosted servers to facilitate these unique tasks and included in the IVDesk service as needed.  Once again, secure and hosted technology is available to help you improve productivity and efficiency while reducing costs.

In the long run, it is the technology that is eliminating the barriers to economical cloud computing solutions for smaller businesses.  But the technology is only important to the technicians at providers like IVDesk.  As an executive or user, all you want is for the applications and data to be available wherever you are and at any time.  With cloud computing, this can be achieved with ease and you can dedicate your time running your business and not worrying about technology.  On the cloud, it’s all taken care of for you.

Check out www.IVDesk.com and let us help you move to the cloud today!

Gerald Matykowski
Director of Sales
IVDesk
gmatykowski@ivdesk.com 

Small companies have not had access to much more then the “buy another server” option before hosted services became available.  Today, small companies have great access to completely hosted solutions for all their applications and get dramatic benefits beyond just no capital investments in IT.

Small companies are now seeing:
1. Dramatic increase in redundancy of services compared to running things themselves.
2. Actual “Pay for Use” by user instead of buying equipment and licenses and being stuck with the payments or purchase.
3. Disaster Recovery in a manner that a company could lose access to their location completely and the computer systems would be available from any Internet connection.
4. 24 x 7 support for every employee built in to the service so no more concern with each call to the Helpdesk costs more money.
5. The ability to run all of a company’s applications in the cloud with access from everywhere.
6. Helpdesk staff that speaks user’s language and doesn’t talk down to your employees.

Get started looking at this today with IVDesk.  We’ve been doing full cloud computing environments for 10 years specifically for companies less then 100 employees.  Take advantage of all the benefits that larger companies have had access to and get our or running your own IT shop.

Bill Sorenson
CEO
www.IVDesk.com
See us on YouTube by searching for IVDesk there and hear what our customers are saying.

No files and folders unless you have a really slow VPN solution, but even then, that doesn’t really work.  What about your key application, ProTracker, AXYS, Portfolio Center, or your other applications?  No real access to them…  Unless…

With IVDesk, we host all your applications, files, folders, and make it easy to work from everywhere.  If you’ve got an Internet connection, you can get to everything, day or night, sun shine or show, anywhere.  You login and it’s the exact same Windows desktop that you have at the office.  All for just a monthly fee per user.  No more servers to buy, no IT employees, no surprises.  You call us once a month or hundreds of times, it’s all included.

Get out of running your own IT service inside your company and go back to focusing on your business.  Stop worrying about storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, or other things that keep you out of the office.  Yes, many are touting Cloud Computing as a new exciting thing but we’ve been doing this for almost 10 years and continue to constantly add customers. 

So go with someone with the experience and ability to run all your applications now and into the future.  We provide the Microsoft Office licensing as part of the solution so that’s all covered as well.  Move to Office 2010 now without the big upfront costs.  Get started today!

Thanks,
Bill Sorenson
CEO – IVDesk.com
bsorenson@ivdesk.com

You too can storm proof the IT portion of your business by moving to your own Private Cloud with IVDesk.  We run all your applications from a SAS70 Type II data center and you stop worrying.  If something happens to your office, you can work from anywhere.

Give a look today and get out of the disaster recovery nightmare that is running your own IT.

Bill Sorenson
CEO
www.IVDesk.com