A large number of businesses still run Microsoft MSFT -1.71% Windows Server 2003 and it’s unlikely they all will upgrade before Microsoft Corp. ends support on July 14, 2015, say analysts. Companies that don’t upgrade increase their cyber security risks because the company will no longer issue security updates and these systems will be more vulnerable to hackers.

Businesses worldwide run an estimated 23.8 million physical and virtual instances of Windows Server 2003, according to data released by Microsoft in July 2014. Analysts say the technology is more prevalent in industries such as health care, utilities and government. Yet it’s also still used in about 7% of retail point of sale systems, according to a report Thursday by Trend Micro Inc.4704.TO -1.11%

“Microsoft does not plan to extend support for Windows Server 2003 and encourages customers who currently run Windows Server 2003 and have not yet begun migration planning to do so immediately,” said Vivecka Budden, a Microsoft spokesperson, in an email.

South Jersey Techies offers various migration options to include Windows Server 2012 R2, Microsoft Azure, hosting partners and Office 365.

“It is going to be difficult to get this done in time,” said David Mayer, practice director of Microsoft Solutions at Insight Enterprises Inc.NSIT -1.12%, a provider of IT hardware, software and services.

Many of these same industries were impacted by the end of service for the Windows XP operating system on April 8.  Microsoft broadcasts these sorts of moves years in advance, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. But, the product was stable and for many companies there simply wasn’t incentive to update.

“In general, everyone has been slow to migrate, especially those with servers that are running applications,” said Rob Helm, vice president of research at Directions on Microsoft consulting firm.

The problem in industries such as health care and utilities is that companies run legacy apps written by vendors who still require Windows Server 2003. For example, there are smaller vendors in health care that have not kept up with development and application modernization, said a health-care CIO who asked not to be identified. A hospital may have an inventory of 100 to 500 different applications and many applications will still require Windows Server 2003, he added.

Electric utilities, for example, widely use Windows Server 2003. There hasn’t been much movement to upgrade those systems, said Patrick C. Miller, founder of the nonprofit Energy Sector Security Consortium and a managing partner at The Anfield Group, a security consulting firm. Instead, utilities are working to better secure and isolate those systems.

“I’m concerned about directory services such as application authentication and user permissions,” said Mr. Miller. “If you compromise an Active Directory server, you get access to everything.”

For now, analysts are recommending that companies work out their risk of exposure and make plans to first migrate those applications that will be most difficult. Companies should make plans to harden servers that can’t be updated. That might entail putting those systems on an isolated network, where they’d be less prone to outside attack, said Mr. Helm.

To protect and upgrade your home or business

 please contact us 856-745-9990 or click here.

Takeaway:  How to use PC Remote App & Server software to control your PC with a Windows 8 Phone.

PC Remote App is an easy and secure way to remote into your PC from a Windows 8 Phone.  Two versions are available, PC Remote (free) and PC Remote Pro ($2.99).  

Step 1 – Install PC Remote Server

1.  Download the PC Remote Server from http://www.pcremoteserver.com/PCRemoteSetup.msi
2.  Run PCRemoteSetup.msi file
3.  After install, you can setup a password.  Select “Password” Tab.

5.  Check “Enable”
6.  Enter the password
7.  Select the “General” Tab and then Click “Update Server”.

Step 2 – Download PC Remote Mobile Client

1.  Open Windows Phone Store App.
2.  Search for “PCRemote” (Select Free version) and tap “Install”.
3.  Select “+” to add the IP address of the server machine.

4.  Insert the IP address of the server machine and password you selected in Step 1.
5.  Return to the main screen and select your machine.
6.  From the control menu you can choose multiple control options.

Our server will be coming down at 1 A.M on Friday, June 14th, 2013 as part of our planned maintenance for space efficiency. Due to the physical relocation of the servers, we cannot provide a precise time frame for this maintenance however we expect this to take between 2 to 3 hours. Our technicians have performed this maintenance several times and have established a process to minimize the outage period during the moves. We apologize for any inconveniences caused by this maintenance.

Maintenance Window:  1 A.M. – 6  A.M. (EST) on Friday, June 14, 2013.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

(856)745-9990 or support@sjtechies.com

On April 8, 2013 Hewlett-Packard took a fairly dramatic departure from traditional server designs with the release of the Moonshot Server.

Moonshot uses low-power smartphone style processors to optimize data center servers.  Although, Moonshot looks traditional, the Moonshot 1500 Chassis contains shared power, cooling, networking, storage and 45 pluggable servers.  There are several chipsets available.

Instead of putting together another server that requires intense power and cooling, HP reconstructed the server design.  Moonshot provides a vast amount of resources such as scalability while reducing the use of physical space, cooling and power.

Many companies partnered with HP on the Moonshot Project including:  AMD, Intel, ARM, Citrix, Cloudera, Redhat, SUSE and many others.

Disadvantages for the Moonshot server could range from an unenthusiastic entrance to the risk of a minimal hardware component failure that could bring down 45 critical servers because an entire rack of servers are set in one box.

If you are looking to purchase new equipment please contact us at (856) 745-9990.

Protect Your Data. Stay Connected. Save Time and Money.

Get ready to take your business to the next level. With Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard (SBS 2011 Standard) you can get business done faster, be more productive, and stay better connected. For a greater business capacity and a new competitive edge, the time for upgrading to Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard is now.

Top Ten Reasons to Upgrade

Enjoy updated component technologies, increased data protection, and new tools to help you grow your business capacity.

1. Get a Comprehensive, All-in-One Solution:

Get the newest releases of all the SBS 2011 Standard technology components that are designed to deliver an optimal experience for small businesses in an affordable all-in-one solution. The solution suite includes Windows Server® 2008 R2 technologies, Microsoft® Exchange Server 2010 SP1, Microsoft SharePoint® Foundation 2010, and Windows Software Update Services. Also, Premium Add-on includes Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 for Small Business.

2. Simplify IT Management:

Manage common IT tasks and address technology issues before they occur with a unified view of the health and security of your computers and servers in the network from one administrative console.

3. Run Line of Business Applications:

Get access to the large Windows Server 2008 R2 ecosystem of applications as the SBS 2011 Standard is built on Windows Server 2008 R2 code base.

4. Stay Connected to the Business:

Provide your users the freedom to securely access all of their communications—e-mail, voice mail, instant messaging, and more—from virtually any platform, Web-browser, or device to get more done wherever they are with the integrated Exchange Server 2010 and Microsoft Outlook® Web Access (OWA) capabilities.

5. Access Business Information from Virtually Anywhere, Anytime:

Get direct, secure access to your files, calendars, tasks, and contacts through any common browser, from virtually anywhere.

6. Built-in document collaboration:

SBS 2011 Standard features Microsoft SharePoint® Foundation Services 2010 – the newest version of Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services. It powers exciting new features and capabilities that help you collaborate securely online—no matter where you are.

7. Simplify IT Management:

Reduce the cost of deploying and maintaining your network with streamlined setup and deployment for both the server and clients

8. Easy Migration:

Easily migrate to the new platform with enhanced migration tools, extensive pre-migration checks, and prescriptive guidance.

9. Simplified Back-up for Business Data:

Help protect your vital business information from loss with automatic backups and recover accidentally deleted files in the event of disaster. With easy-to-use interfaces and backup capabilities, you or your IT consultant can gain better control of your data, PCs, and network.

10. Keep your Network Healthy and Up-to-Date:

Help ensure the health of your network and keep your PCs and servers current with easy-to-read “green check” reports that give you a quick view of PC and server status, antivirus status, Microsoft software updates, and backup progress.