Macnamara, one of the few true Managed Service Providers in London.

Managed Services are a different way of doing IT. It’s not about computers anymore; instead we are here to make sure the key business services your staff and clients rely on every day are all available and reliable when they are needed. Our focus is on your systems and on honing and improving our state of the art monitoring and support tools – edging ever closer to the point where all problems can be identified and remedied before they impact on productivity.

We are aiming for a truly exceptional level of service – leaving traditional IT support in our wake – please keep an eye on the news page for updates as we grow and develop the service. We hope you find it interesting.

January 2011

Happy New Year from Macnamara…
Friday 7th January 2011 by Geoff Courts

…and it looks like it’s going to be an exciting one for IT.

2010 saw a big step up in many areas. Cloud computing is now a term that most people are at least aware of, even if they don’t know what it means (and I refer to techies as well as laymen here). Moving IT into Cloud Services promises enormous benefits in terms of availability, scalability, and most importantly (from a business perspective at least) the potential for huge cost savings and the virtual elimination of capital expenditure on IT.

Mobile technology took a massive leap forward with the iPhone 4, Windows Phone 7, and the latest Android offerings, as well as BlackBerry, all of which have very strong points in their favour, all of which can connect to multiple e-mail accounts (and in some cases multiple Exchange accounts too). The BlackBerry retains its appeal to the more executive-style users, and its encryption technology, while under threat of exposure from Middle East and Indian governments, is still first in its field. IPhone users still love their product, with its easy interface and slick design. Windows 7, while still new, hasn’t suffered from the semi-expected rounds of criticism usually reserved for Microsoft products, and with SharePoint now available in BPOS, SP integration on your phone could really make it a business tool, rather than a gadget phone.

We’ll be launching our Phase 3 website in the coming weeks, with improvements to the Tech Archive (such as pictures!) and you’ll see lots more articles from us on various subjects, including Cloud, BPOS, Windows Mobile, Green Computing, and more. If you’re interested in any of our Services, please fill out your details in Contact Us, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

December 2010

Season's Greetings from Macnamara
Wednesday 15th December 2010 by Kate Coles

Macnamara advocates creativity and enterprise. Having moved to our current address in Hoxton eight months ago, we take great pleasure being located in one of London's creative hubs. This performs a marvellous juxtaposition to the technical focus of the business whilst retaining close geographic links to the City of London.

This year our IT support clients and close contacts will be receiving a card designed for Macnamara by London based freelance illustrator Aniela Murphy. We are proud to support one of the city’s budding artists and present her work to the wider audience of our diverse range of clients.

Since graduation Aniela has been honing her craft, working with a combination of fine hand drawn illustration and graphics. Amongst other things, she derives inspiration from the intricate symmetry of Moroccan frescos and pattern, disco music and the combination of elaborate illustration within simple unembellished layouts. Since graduation, her developing and versatile style has been applied to many different areas including fashion, branding and editorial work.

Aniela's simple, fun and festive design for Macnamara was created using a black pen on paper (with a little help for colour from Photoshop).

The Macnamara Team wishes all London businesses a rejuvenating seasonal break from the office. Here's to 2011 being a year of continued enterprise, resourcefulness and progress for all London professionals.

To see the design, visit our Facebook page

and more of Aniela's work on her website.

Five steps to Efficient Blackberry Typing
Thursday 9th December 2010 by Kate Coles

Contributing to improved information streams and efficiency of communication, 2010 became the year of widespread mobile working.

I shall save going into the differences between iPhone, Blackberry or Android here. However, it is worth noting that, despite its recent and noticeable uptake in the under twenty-one’s, RIM’s Blackberry maintained an overall dominance in the serious business market. From the point of view of business communication, some would argue that Blackberry is a key winner. However, typing on a miniature keyboard has its draw backs; being slower and sometimes less accurate.

On your PC or laptop, keyboard shortcuts save time and improve efficiency and you can apply something similar to your Blackberry.

Creating a ‘Text Macro’ in 5 steps is, in effect, a keyboard abbreviation which creates a shortcut.

There a few text macros already available by default.

• Lt = will enter the current time
• Ld = will enter the current date
• Mypin = will display your BlackBerry PIN

In addition, a useful trick is to customise your own entries that will change small words or codes into something longer, specified by you.

As most BlackBerry models require you to hold “alt” each time you want to type a number on the keypad, a particularly useful macro can be set for sending an email containing your contact number. For example replacing “mypho” with “Mob: 07912345678”

“Thanks4” could be set to automatically change to “Thank you for your email”. “Illcon” could be set to automatically change to “I’ll contact you when I’m back in the office”.

How to:

1. Access the BlackBerry menu on your phone and scroll to ‘Options’
2. Select ‘AutoText’ followed by the Menu button and select ‘New’.
3. Enter your short code under ‘Replace’ e.g Thanks4
4. Enter the full phrase under ‘With’ e.g. Thank you for your email.
5. When you are happy with your choice, press Menu again and select ‘Save’.

We have growing library of ‘how to’ articles in our Tech Archive. This simple, two-minute trick will help you save time, when you need it most.

Virtual Chocolate – The gift of 140 Characters
Wednesday 1st December 2010 by Kate Coles

The business relationships we make online help different industries in various ways. Start ups and freelancers are able to create a tailor made ‘staff room’ full of discussion and ideas. For larger business, to name but a few of the advantages, ensures diverse groups of possible customers are reached on their own terms, boosting sales and notoriety.

But ‘being on’ Facebook,Twitter or LinkedIn is more than just having an account. Good social media is about creating an on-going stream of contemporary advice, useful content and the continual contact to make business relationships flourish. If a members tweets educate and inform, or their communication and team work enables your approach to grow, a #followfriday allows you to show your appreciation and helps grow your network.

The past couple of years has presented a challenge for every UK business and the general debates and interaction on free platforms, such as twitter have been noteworthy. As we start to feel more festive, a twitter contact @leewilshire has come up with a genius idea for all us social media savvy businesses.

For everyday of Advent I am showcasing a fellow tweeter with whom I have an good working relationship. Their content and communication will be such, that they will be included in my seasonal daily recommendation of their work or knowledge, accompanied by the hashtag #MacnamaraAdventCalendar.

So instead of sending all 144 of my Macnamara followers a real present, this Advent I’m offering my followers the virtual chocolate of Good Tweeters. Follow me on @Macnamara_Geoff for the gift of 140 characters.

November 2010

Welcome to November’s Macnamara news update
Wednesday 10th November 2010 by Kate Coles

Green credentials soar at Macnamara HQ

In line with our overall target to be more green and ever virtual, running servers are reduced by 75% - from eight to two.

Like all London businesses our working lives have a carbon footprint. Already essentially paperless, we constantly explore ways to use technology to lessen our environmental impact. We took time to look at the biggest electrical (and financial) drains in the office. Like most Organisations, the Servers were highest on the list.

Macnamara Managing Director, Ciaran Kenny committed himself to halving the output.

By amalgamating usage and migrating all PCs to a virtual server environment, we have cut energy costs and environmental impact. For businesses looking to meet their green objectives, this is worth considering. Working in a virtual environment I haven’t noticed any change in user experience. It’s good to know that with no change to end user functionality you can save both money and environmental impact.

Developments in SharePoint

With Macnamara now able to move Club clients into a controlled Cloud environment, Operations Manager, Geoff Courts, has been comprehensively putting SharePoint through its paces. One of the numerable reasons why SharePoint offers an exceptional functionality is Office efficiency. The ability to search documents through metadata produces a more effective user experience. Rather than having to remember the folder where every file is located or the obscure name you called it four months ago, all documents are searchable by their name and sub categories.

In theory this seems like more admin, but in reality when dealing with more than a hand full of files it makes navigation and location easier and faster. The check-out feature creates accountability and traceability of shared documents with staff, only allowing one edit of a particular document version at any one time.

This is just one snapshot of the elements involved in SharePoint. We’re happy to talk to you about the elements of SharePoint and Cloud in the overall structure of your business efficiency.

Club Client Experience

Following time with the developers, the final stage in the online Club Client experience is reaching completion. There are exciting developments in store which we can’t wait to share with you. More news on this to follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/Macnamara_Geoff

A growing library you can trust

We now have 42 tech articles in the Technical Archive, from simple fixes, such as trouble shooting your Internet connection, to the impact of Outlook’s social connector on business perceptions and public personae. Uploaded content has been used by the team either professionally or personally for guaranteed IT.

If you’re looking to fix a problem or want to set up something new, these solutions have Macnamara approval. For the latest article updates ‘like’ our Facebook page www.facebook.com/macnamara.it . Content is updated weekly and, with the arrival of the final stage of the website, will be given a new look and solutions will be searchable.

Official recognition for Support

To provide Guaranteed IT, Macnamara is committed to professionalism and training.

We are pleased to announce Support Technician, Dan Shterev, is now a Microsoft Certified IT Professional. When I spoke to Dan the “studying and dedication” seems to have paid off as he stormed through with an overall score of 966 out of 1000.

Having always loved working with computers and gadgets, this achievement shows an expert level of knowledge and understanding for him to be able to confidently do what he loves. Congratulations to Dan on his success and best wishes for the further qualifications he is already embarking on.

Keep on running

Congratulations are also in order for Ciaran who recently ran the 35th Amsterdam Marathon. Travelling to the Netherlands and running alongside friend and business associate Jon Dodd, he made a time of 04:28:01, shaving 26 minutes off his personal best. On his return to London Ciaran was pleased with his time, commenting on the beautiful route taking in the rivers and bridges of Holland’s capital.

October 2010

Macnamara Update
Thursday 14th October 2010 by Kate Coles

The Maintenance Plan

I came to work at an IT company with a greater than average knowledge of tech. However working in an office full of bona fide IT guys has taught me my strongest knowledge is about users. The majority of IT is for user experience. End users are the reason why we have IT systems in place, to make their working lives easier and more efficient.

I hear the ‘tuts’ from a hundred of Office Managers who would argue otherwise. If you are the person responsible for remedying PC issues in your office your job spec will have swelled to fit the myriad of problems which seems to arise.

Let’s take a routine example; updating your office PCs with patch updates. Patches increase the efficiency of every PC by equipping programs with the most up to date developments. These are usually free and sometimes the program itself will notify you when there is an update available. Increasing efficiency and security of IT systems, at no extra cost, seems like a no-brainer.

The down side, in reality, is that patching all the PCs in the office is incredibly time consuming. When you realise there is an anti-virus definition update, how do you ensure everyone is protected? The solutions range from sending an email to the whole office asking nicely to personally activating the update on every PC.

I took the opportunity to speak with a client whose responsibility would encompass ensuring her Office’s 10 PCs were up to date. She was amazed by “how few people know or understand the importance of making regular updates to their PCs or even know what those ‘little icons’ represent”

Office managers and Executive Administrators realise that having unprotected PCs presents vulnerability for the company’s data security and poses a financial risk. This is one of the real issues relating to your guard and covering this can be a concern.

I have the simple solution: update your PCs automatically.

Macnamara’s Maintenance Plan, designed and built in house, is updated daily by our technicians to run the updates for new patches, in addition to all virus and spyware scans, defragmentation and all other routine maintenance.

Since Executive Assistant Michelle’s central London Office has been on the Maintenance Plan, she has felt “confident and assured that all the computers are up to date every morning when you log on”.

She highlighted the timesaving functionality and improved staff efficiency accrued as a result of the Maintenance Plan. Citing “no down time, no waiting for downloads when you could be working and no way to forget to do updates as it is all taken care of by the lovely people at Macnamara.”

Echoing Macnamara’s perspective on all technology Michelle clarified that, “the genius of Macnamara’s system is that there is no need for everyone to know or understand anything about it.” The professional and definitive approach imparts our clients with confidence and reassurance in their systems.

As an aside to the logistics of patch updates, those who are globally and economically aware will be struck by both the unnecessary financial and environmental implications of PCs running overnight.

Many users want to start off their work day by turning on their PC with a fresh mind and programs. With other automatic update packages this poses a problem as the PCs are left running overnight.

Not with Macnamara, our Maintenance plan includes an advanced shut down script. Once updates and scans have been fully run, taking between 30 minutes and 2 hours, the PC will be shut down until it is turned on by the user when they get into the office. Some users in your office they will prefer their PC to be running latently overnight, Macnamara can formulate the Plan so each PC is catered for in a way which compliments both the employer requirements and employee needs.

Saving your company money, the planet unnecessary atmospheric CO2 and permanently checking another job off the on-going ‘To Do’ list, I’m not a techy, but I understand these are major demands. Demands the Maintenance Plan comfortably meets, resulting in a real impact on everyday user experience. As Michelle told me, the key to the Maintenance Plan is that she doesn’t even notice it’s there.

If you would like to know more about reducing your work load, contact me (Kate@macnamara.it).

Or just keep running around the office checking everyone’s PCs…

September 2010

Macnamara Update
Thursday 30th September 2010 by Ciaran Kenny

Reassurance your business systems comply with the highest security and legal standards is both desired and required of Corporate level IT Defence. For this week’s News Article Macnamara’s MD, Ciaran Kenny, introduces ‘Macnamara Managed Security’

Protect your users, your network, your company data and your reputation with ‘Defence in Depth’ from Macnamara Managed Security.

Threats are everywhere. Typically when we add a new client network to our managed service we find several thousand malware infections infesting the system. These range from relatively innocent adware tracking applications, to annoying prompts to buy various spurious security applications through to downright sinister spyware, key loggers and so on.

Our ‘Defence in Depth’ approach tackles the problem with nothing short of military precision. We seal your network and we relentlessly patrol and monitor its borders.

Starting with DNS services we make sure that outbound traffic from your network simply cannot reach the more nefarious corners of the Internet and that every web request that originates from within your network is answered by only the website at which it was aimed.

Next we look at inbound traffic – every email is examined before it reaches your network and dangerous attachments are removed. Spam is blocked entirely (as much as possible), viruses are removed, emails that do not come from their claimed origin are blocked. Real emails are archived for legal compliance.

Emails are checked again when they reach your network, this time in much greater depth and with a finer granularity of control defined by your users as they mark individual senders as safe or not safe.

But, that’s not all – at your network perimeter we also block all phishing attempts, all spyware, all websites in categories that you would rather your users didn’t access during working hours. However, as not all network intrusion attempts originate from web visits or inbound emails we also block every attempt to scan your network ports and all uninvited attempts to connect to your system (a typical system is scanned several times a day and, in our experience, we expect attempts at unauthorised connections to occur several times a month).

Alas, your own users can also be a cause for concern – introducing threats innocently or otherwise. USB keys, CDs, laptops and other devices may be connected to your network bypassing all perimeter security. Our managed desktop service ensures that USB keys cannot be connected without your permission, CDs and DVDs are scanned before they can be opened and unidentified laptops or other devices cannot access any resources on your system.

Internal file access is also critically important and our Hierarchical Security Model is designed to cope with even the most stringent and complex file access scenarios.

And, finally, you get a full detailed report of all network activity with security implications every day (or as often as you wish) including a full report of all web usage shown by user.

Macnamara Managed Security provides corporate level IT Defence in Depth coupled with legal compliance and peace of mind.

Macnamara Update
Thursday 16th September 2010 by Kate Coles

Macnamara is in the process of massive forward motion and realignment. We continually push ourselves to strive for superior technology, innovative working and impeccable service.

When we have the competitive advantage this is passed straight to you. When we work at our best, our client’s business’ are directly stimulated towards effectiveness.

IT is a necessity which can either impede or aid your efficiency. With Macnamara’s changes, you will have a modern business abetted with the secure support mechanisms and monitoring in place.

Leaving you with less worry and irritation and more time to do your day job.

An update on Macnamara’s recent developments

Our Maintenance Plan, designed and built in-house, is a pioneering advancement in remote PC care. The benefits are apparent and we now have 21 businesses opting in to the scheme which delivers updates and patching overnight. Macnamara Club members on the Plan consistently have work stations which are working to optimum. Furthermore, the plan’s automatic shutdown of the PC, improves a company’s green credentials. If you want to talk about successfully launching this in your business contact us. [http://www.macnamara.it/dashboard.html]

You may have a notion of what ‘the Cloud’ is but Macnamara is providing you with the details. Our Cloud Season is well underway with an introductyory overview along with an introduction to applications on smart phones.

The final phase of the Macnamara website is currently with the developers. The features are going to be revolutionary for our clients, with an exclusive client area and access to retrospective reporting and contemporary ticketing. Client access to ticketing is currently being trialed, with a select group of our portfolio currently accessing the beta system.

Why not check our growing Facebook page

If you’re on Twitter drop us a follow, the whole team is here, we’d welcome hearing from you.

Cloud Services from Macnamara – The ‘Mobile Cloud’
Tuesday 14th September 2010 by Dan Shterev

In the previous article in the Macnamara’s Cloud Season we explained what the ‘Cloud’ is.

With a smart phone market swelling in addition to the anticipated reliance on the Cloud this article aims to introduce you to a method of marrying the two.

Recently launched as a beta version, and quickly fast tracked to general release, the ‘My Phone’ service is one of few that can provide you with reasonable “cloud storage” and save your worries about losing your phone data.

With My Phone you can back up your phone automatically, access your contacts, text messages, tasks etc. You can even share photos on your favourite social networking sites and will even help you locate your lost phone!

The service is completely free; all you need is to have Windows Mobile 6 OS (or newer) based phone with ‘My Phone’ app installed (it’s already pre-loaded on most new Windows phones) and quick registration at www.live.com. You will need to register Microsoft Windows Live ID if you don’t already have one to be able to access ‘My Phone’ service. If you don’t have the application on your phone, enter http://myphone.microsoft.com/install into your mobile phone’s browser to download it.

Once you have it installed and registered Live ID, you can start using the service. Log in to http://myphone.microsoft.com and sign in with your Live ID. Now you have complete access to your own cloud space. Also don’t forget do the setup settings on your phone (e.g. what time to synchronise, what needs to be synchronised etc.). Using the website is pretty simple and once is synchronized with your phone you will be able to check your tasks, organize your contacts and appointments and search through your old text messages.

The ‘My Phone’ service provides 200MB of free storage (usually enough to cover around 50 MP3 files, or equivalent of 200 high quality pictures). If you exceed this limit the website will send you error message advising to delete some content in order to continue. You are also able to set the service to back up your data at specific time. Another nice feature is finding your lost phone – The ‘My Phone’ service can show you the last known location of your phone on a map (based on where it last synced or shared photos using ‘My Phone’).

Please note that if ‘My Phone’ detects content already being managed by connections with Microsoft Exchange server (which is frequently used for corporate e-mail and contacts) or the Windows Live mobile application, ‘My Phone’ will not duplicate the syncing of this content.

If you are wondering what type of files can be synchronized here is the answer:

‘My Phone’ will sync wide variety of content and document types between your phone and your ‘My Phone’ account such as photos (jpg, jpeg, gif, png, tif, fit, bmp etc.), music (mp3, ogg, wav, wma etc.), video (3gp, mp4, avi, wmv, mpg, mpeg), documents (doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, txt, pdf, html) You may also back up your external memory card, should you include the option for backing up the memory card. Don’t forget that you have only 200MB free storage on your “cloud space”.

Although ‘My Phone’ standard services are free, a Premium Features package is available to help you find and protect a lost phone. The Premium Features package is not a subscription service. You activate it from your ‘My Phone’ account only after your phone is misplaced or stolen.

The Package includes:

Ring your phone (even if it is set to silent or vibrate)
Map the current location of your phone (only available in the US)
Lock your phone and post a message to its screen for the finder to read
Erase your phone

The Premium Package is free the first time that you use it. The cost is $4.99 per use and may vary by country. A “use” is defined as the ability to execute (3) Rings, (3) Finds, (1) Lock and (1) Erase at any time during a 7-day period.

Currently, the Premium Features package is available in the following 21 countries/regions: the United Kingdom Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Mexico, the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.

In conclusion, Microsoft ‘My Phone’ is a useful and innovative, free “cloud” service which can offer you peace of mind – and maybe even recover your phone. If you are a Windows Mobile user, you should definitely check it out.

Key issues for SMEs
Thursday 9th September 2010 by Kate Coles

You have your own business either because you love what you do, or you’re really good at it, but most likely, a combination of the two. For a Director of an SME (Small and Medium sized Enterprise), there are a number of issues which stop you doing what you’re good at. Working around these issues is a challenge to any small business, but establishing a strong infrastructure will reap rewards.

In this article you’ll find some of the key issues which impact on SME’s on a daily basis and some innovative solutions to these barriers to productivity.

HR issues

Industrious, enthusiastic staff are hard to find. For SME’s, mistakes with staff appointments can be costly on many levels. With the current climate and yet another cohort of recent graduates on the lookout for jobs, there is a valuable potential source of eager to learn, energetic employees. Rather than going down the established routes of recruitment, target assiduous tech savvy jobseekers in their domain. Go online and tweet or Facebook your job ads. If someone is following you, they already have an affinity for your brand. What better way to gain committed staff? Additionally, ask the Job Centre about the Future Jobs Fund, an interesting scheme trialed by Labour and now maintained by the Coalition Goverment. If you are looking for more experienced staff, LinkedIn offers a great source of proactive individuals with profiles, CV’s and recommendations for your perusal.

Legal and Accounting

Sound Legal and Financial support is truly imperative, if you are wanting to make a decent amount of money and hold on to it. When your SME is fledgling, legal advice doesn’t seem critical, but a small investment here can save you a fortune later on. Issues definitely worth exploring in the early days of your business are shareholder agreements and intellectual property rights. Alongside this, a good accountant is indispensible – if someone tells you, ‘you can do it all yourself with QuickBooks’, just don’t believe it. A good accountant is going to save you more then they charge in the first year – and after that, if you have any thoughts about getting some payback for all those hours just make sure you have the right accountant.

Finding the right professional advisers is the hardest part. Go to network meetings and ask around, remembering not to commit until you find someone who ticks both these boxes. Firstly you must like them (and they must seem to like you) and secondly you must feel that that they will be someone who you will unequivocally comfortable being absolutely honest with.

Transport Issues

The occasional Tube strike is an inevitable part of London Business. The impact on business is inevitable for those rely heavily on client facing service. If you are thinking of long term crisis management, Boris’ bikes have been a lifeline for many commuters, membership is nominal and casual use will be available soon for anyone with chip and pin. The new, air conditioned East London line wasn’t affected by this week’s industrial action so explore combining the two means.

If you’re looking for a more innovative way to grab a cab, hail on twitter with @TweetaLondonCab. A rapidly growing grass roots initiative run by London cabbies.

Accommodation Issues

After years of commuting to an office, as an SME you have the option to change up the routine. Working remotely from home or from various sites can be an efficient working set up, which cuts costs on office rental. With the right systems in place, collaborative working is easily achievable and frees up opportunities to visit clients and work on the go. Outlook Web Access (OWA) is the simplest and most immediate way to start this ball rolling. If you wish to set up Outlook Web Access, we have a simple step by step resource in our Tech Archive.

Tech Issues

For modern business being ‘tech free’ is simply not an option. But for many SMEs, dealing with out of date software, old hardware and a tentative ISPs, being ‘tech free’ seems like a dream. Frankly, this is not the solution, technology and IT should seamlessly cradle your business. ‘Break-fix’ IT solutions seem like a smaller financial outlay but, in the long run they involve chasing technicians for help on issues you don’t understand. Printer jams and downloading software updates should not take half your day to resolve and viruses and spam shouldn’t even enter your world. Macnamara offers a service package tailored to fit your needs. For example, based on our innovative maintenance and monitoring, intrinsic spam filtering and controlled administrator access, virus initiation is prevented. In addition, automated patch updates and spyware scanning mean your machines are always working to their absolute optimum. And whenever needed, our London based team, who will know your entire system inside out, are a phone call or email away.

Time issues

For SMEs, there often isn’t enough time in a day to do everything. The ‘urgent’ takes precedent over the ‘important’, and the ‘preferred’ takes a back seat. This often leaves SME Directors sacrificing sleep for essential admin or project completion. If you take an hour to think outside the box, you may be able to save yourself time, money and most importantly, stress. Making the work you do more productive and hopefully more rewarding, leaving you more in control of your business.

Cloud Services from Macnamara – What Is The ‘Cloud’?
Thursday 2nd September 2010 by Geoff Courts

The term ‘The Cloud’ is a catch all phrase used by many people to mean different things, but generally it refers to hosted services, where the infrastructure of those services is located off-site.

Under this broad umbrella, Webmail would be considered a cloud service, as would web-hosting. These services have obviously been around for some time, so what’s so new in Cloud Computing?

The term has come to mean much more than traditional services, and is more often used to mean the hosting of high end and high performance services that traditional networks hosted themselves internally, such as Exchange Servers, CRM systems (ACT! by SAGE), and other databases such as ticketing software (AutoTask), IT Support Monitoring (Kaseya), or SharePoint intranet sites. The power and complexity of these systems meant that it wasn’t realistic, particularly in bandwidth terms, to host these off site.

With faster broadband speeds, it has become more viable to host previously internal systems elsewhere, with all the cost savings associated with outsourcing. You can now get fast (10Mbps +) ADSL, ADSL2+ or leased line broadband, as well as fibre optic, and the next generation of technology will be able to make full use of, if not demand, LAN speed internet access of 100Mbps, making offsite services as fast as hosting it yourself.

The benefit of offsite hosting is that it can be much cheaper than buying and maintaining your own Servers, and reduces the need for in-house IT departments. This last is in itself nothing new; Macnamara has been trading for years under the registered name Lynx Computing providing out-sourced IT support on a contract basis to SMEs in and around the London area. But until now we have required an on-site Server (usually Small Business Server, due to the nature and size of the clients involved) with Exchange, DNS, Active Directory etc. all hosted on site.

The thing is, the traditional approach actually works very well. There are flaws, as there are with hosted services. Neither is perfect, but combined, we can actually make a robust system that is cost efficient, fast, and disaster-recoverable.

Macnamara is providing hosted Exchange and central Active Directory Domain Services in the cloud, with Blackberry Enterprise and SharePoint servers, but retaining a Local Domain Controller (LDC). Each client will have a VPN connection to the central hosted Exchange, but all local Directory Authentication and DNS Resolution will happen on site, reducing the strain on VPN, and improving local logon speeds. The LDC will act as a local File and Print Server.

Local Data will be backed up nightly offsite. Exchange is BUDR Compliant using our hosted services, and all mail is fully Archived, as well as Spam filtered, so you will never lose an e-mail. Furthermore, if you utilise our hosted SharePoint, all your data is fully Disaster recoverable, and accessible to all users everywhere. All Exchange compatible mobile handsets are supported (iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile), and also BlackBerry with our hosted BlackBerry Enterprise Server, giving corporate level mobile support across all mobile platforms.

Finally, these services will be offered on a per-user basis, so small businesses can make full use of corporate level IT, on an affordable small business budget.

August 2010

Choosing an IT Service Provider
Thursday 26th August 2010 by Ciaran Kenny

IT Support Companies have been around for a decade or so now and, by all accounts, they are pretty much all the same: fantastic at the start but then things fade … Choosing the right IT partner is a vital business decision. In modern business, getting the right IT company on board is at least as important as getting the right accountant or the right lawyer. Well, I won’t go into how you make those decisions but there are a few useful pointers below that can help you make sure you get the right IT people.

Several IT Companies now seek to differentiate themselves from the Google masses by describing themselves as Managed Service Providers (MSPs) rather than IT Support companies. This is an important distinction as a true MSP will have the skills, tools and qualified staff to provide the service you need. So how do you work out whether you are talking to a true MSP?

Try asking a potential provider these ten key questions:

• How many years have you been in business and can I see the record at Companies House?
• How many people are in your team and what do they do?
• Does your company have any vendor affiliations and/or certified relationships?
• Can you provide several references from companies like mine?
• Can I come and see your office and meet the team?
• What qualifications do your team have and what exactly do you mean when you say they are all IT Professionals?
• What automation tools do you use and how do they monitor my systems?
• Do you have a professional services automation (PSA) platform to keep track of all the work done on my system?
• Can I see some examples of the monthly reports you provide to your clients?
• If my broadband goes down – what exactly happens next?

It is possible that you might not understand the answers to some of these questions however you should ask them. Frankly, should be able to tell from the ease (or otherwise) with which they are answered whether you are dealing with a true MSP or a more traditional IT support company (those ones that really are all the same).

Now, if you want some advice on choosing a good lawyer or accountant...

I'm a "non tech" and I just reinstalled my OS!
Monday 23rd August 2010 by Kate Coles

After an ongoing issue with my ISP, my laptop had been offline for 2 months and I neglected to update my antivirus definitions before going online. Naughty and ultimately foolish, 5 Trojans headed my way pretty sharpish. We all know maintaining computer software is important and it would seem the one time I took the risk I paid the price. My laptop whimpered and crawled into a corner.

I work in an office full of tech savvy boys so it has been somewhat of a pride issue that I fixed my laptop myself. Troubleshooting with one of Macnamara's freelance guys over a couple of days, I managed to reinstall my Operating System, the outstanding drivers, and I'm starting to slowly build up my Software. I'm yet to locate a usable wireless driver but who needs Wi-Fi?! My battery life is so awful that I can't web and walk anyway.

A bit of backstory to contextualise how much of an achievement this is...... I'm a girl who used to hang with all the techies at school, I picked things up quickly and just 'got' the rational approach of IT.

Then I did a BA in Theology. Often without cash, I'd have to make do with tech which was out of date because, well, ultimately clothes were more important. I now have a bulging wardrobe housed in 2 cities, however, everyday I'm frustrated by my home IT. I love it when technology works well. Despite my stunted IT growth, as a multitasker and social networker, efficient IT is something I love.

It resonated with me, that if you lack a combination of exceptional IT skills and bags of spare time, tech can be a battleground of pitfalls and headaches. For the majority of people, the only interaction they have with IT is a shiny user interface. The average user doesn't see the hard work which goes on behind the scenes and how complex a job it is organising systems to work efficiently.

What has been reiterated for me is that whatever your IT, at a user level you can learn to maintain it so it works at its optimum. So ladies, maybe it's time to get online. Macnamara uploads articles weekly on how to resolve issues. Some are incredibly technical and detail solutions to difficult problems and glitches. Others give you shrewd efficiency increasing solutions to everyday issues. If you can easily save time by having your work email pushed to your iPhone, what are you waiting for?

A further glut of press articles on the gender/ pay divide has arisen over the past month. This is especially prevalent in IT, so instead of reverting all fixes to the guys, check out our growing online archive of solutions and do it yourself. It's empowering and fun and may even lead you to a new career...

Welcome to Macnamara’s new website.
Monday 2nd August 2010 by Kate Coles

Rather unusually for an IT company we have developed to such a degree we had outgrown our original remit. We are no longer the company we once were, we are the total solution. This presented us with the exciting challenge of rebranding, as we had the opportunity to freshly redefine out remit based on the strong foundations of the 7 years as Lynx Computing.

Through our website we aim to give you an accurate and interesting overview of what Macnamara offers. If you welcome what you see and would savour the high service and trailblazing approach Macnamara fosters, we would be pleased to hear from you. Our highly professional, committed and approachable team welcome queries. You can contact us directly or leave your details in the left hand column and we will get back to you.

We hope you enjoy what you have seen of Macnamara’s website.

I would like to thank Macnamara’s team for their continual industriousness and Slate Web+Graphics for their design vision in helping to realise the potential of Macnamara and this website.

June 2010

Should we all turn our computers off when we go home in the evening?
Tuesday 29th by Ciaran Kenny

It’s not quite up there with the perennial debate as to whether Macs or PCs are better but it is one of those questions that never quite get answered. Generally the IT guys would prefer if you left your PC running all the time but, in these cost conscious times, they don’t really like to say that. And, of course, it’s not just cost – there are environmental considerations too. Just how much electricity are those PCs burning away while they do nothing for 16 hours or so each day – how much does that cost, how much carbon does that add to the atmosphere?

So why do the IT guys tell you to leave the PC on? Well, one reason is that most support desk calls are generated just after the computer is switched on – when things don’t go as expected: the machine doesn’t boot, or the password is rejected or it just takes an age. Simple then, don’t turn the machine off in the first place and eliminate those time consuming support calls. But there is another reason: PC operating systems are usually programmed to run a whole host of update and maintenance tasks during those twilight hours. All those security patches from Microsoft, anti-virus scanning, disk tidy ups etc. happen while you are tucked up in bed.

The pity about it is that Microsoft actually only, as a rule, releases patches once a month.

Virus scanning, if done regularly, only takes a few minutes. The same is true for other routine tasks such as disk defragmentation. But, for them to happen out of ours and not cause the PCs to slow down during working hours it seems the only way is to leave the computers on all the time.

Some IT support companies though have come to the conclusion that asking for computers to be left on all the time really is unsustainable in every sense of the word. And that is precisely the conclusion we have reached. We have spent some time putting together a detailed maintenance plan that takes into account whether users are logged on and runs all necessary maintenance at the earliest opportunity out of working hours. And, here’s the extra step – afterwards we shut the PC down. One small step but actually a major innovation – and we are looking at cost savings in terms of electricity consumption of up to £1,000 per year for some clients. And that is not to mention the reduced environmental impact and enhanced green credentials for the client.

So, back to the opening question, should you turn your PCs off in the evening? Well, yes and no, it depends who’s looking after them!

Macnamara is the new trading name for Lynx Computing.
Monday 21st by Kate Coles

Ciaran Kenny founded Lynx in 2003, based on the principles of reliable service, cutting edge IT and hard work. As the company’s reputation has grown, along with the valued client base, Lynx has now reached a crucial point in its development. Always looking to be able to improve on the range and level of service provided, some key changes have taken place.

The company has not only changed its name, which I will return to later, but it has also recently relocated. Macnamara now operates from Hoxton Works in Hoxton. These new premises are dedicated to small companies, in the heart of an area of London renowned for innovation. Macamara’s hub is minimally sleek with the occasional touch of contemporary East London style. Efficient, innovative, open; all part of the vision, it perfectly reflects the organisation itself.

I sat down with Ciaran over a good cup of coffee, to discuss the change. Enthusing about the progress of the business in the last seven years, he explained that the development was both necessary and unusual in the industry.

Virus scanning, if done regularly, only takes a few minutes. The same is true for other routine tasks such as disk defragmentation. But, for them to happen out of ours and not cause the PCs to slow down during working hours it seems the only way is to leave the computers on all the time.

Macnamara is about growth, partnership and clarity in a complex business world. Proactivity is at the core of the business. Staff work hard to understand the pressures faced by your company and your specific needs, to create a service package which you are happy with. The team are genuinely interested in technological progression, both personally and professionally. The frequent knowledge sharing and discussion amongst the staff, with clients and the wider world illustrates the transparency of the business and its commitment to learning. The recently expanded team is keen, dynamic and committed.

I’m new to the business and the IT world but one thing which is evident is the dedication of the team to both client service and technological innovation.

The team all share one open plan office space and are in constant communication. The office walls are adorned with screens which monitor the performance of every server and internet connection under Macnamara’s care. These alert the technicians to any crucial changes before they become critical. This epitomises Macnamara, diligence in providing effective technology.

Having its roots in Ciaran Kenny’s family history, the name ‘Macnamara’, is the Irishman’s mother’s maiden name. Distinctive and characterful, just like the business.

So what else has been happening? New name, new premises- of course it has to be responsiveness to social technological change. In particular, Macnamara has increased their online presence. Macnamara communicate face to face, on the phone, via email, Twitter and Facebook. Each member of the team tweet regularly, in dialogue with the online community. Their blog is an archive of tech news and fixes as well and business developments.

Clients respond very positively to these developments and if you haven’t checked us out yet, go to www.macnamarablog.blogspot.com or www.macanamaratech.blogspot.com.

Macnamara is certainly entering an invigorating period of development on strong foundations. Becoming the professional, reliable partner, in a complex world of IT to which good business is increasingly dependent.

Do let us know what you think of these developments or our service in general, as your views are important to us.

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