Mark Shaw

Consulting Manager

Presenter

mark@highwayt.org

Adam King

Technology Manager

adam@highwayt.org

1

Reminder: Do not mute your phone

Slides Available from…http://www.slideshare.net/highwayt

2

Tech Support & Roles

The Basics

Maintenance

Tips & Tricks

Upgrades and New Purchases

Tech Resources & Training

3

Nonprofit Tech Support

And Roles

4

How Many IT Staff Per 100 Employees?

HMO

Government

For profit

Nonprofit

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Mass. Department of Education, 1998.5

29% Contract on an as-needed basis

25% In-house MIS staff

22% Tech support w/1 or more

providers

13% No formal approach to IT support

9% Volunteers to our agency

2% Friends and family of staff

Source: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management Study, 2008. Survey of 330

nonprofit organizations. 6

For NPO’s .. How is the work getting done?

Desktop

Support

41%

Infrastructure

20%

Management

13%

Knowledge

Management

10%

Application

Development

8%

Training

8%

7

Staff

8

Staff are best for:(Staff = You the AccidentalTechie)

• Initial troubleshooting

• Triaging issues before escalating

externally

• Projects that require immediate assistance

• Maintaining critical documentation

• Direction for others implementing long-

term projects

9

Contractors10

Contractors are best for:

• Issues that require “expertise”

– Value for “doing it right”

• One-time projects

Server configuration / upgrade / migration

Database development

Multi-site integration

Phone system setup

11

Volunteers availableVolunteers!

12

Volunteers are best for:

• Short term projects

• An easily definable end

• Are not time sensitive

• Are not critical

13

The Basics

14

Data Ownership

Very Important that your organization owns it’s data

Including

EmailFinancials

Documentation

Databases

Websites

Other

The Basics

15

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Hint: Keep it "in the bag"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/srharris/3643864625/

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One binder to ring them all.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/span112/3503394977/

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http://hwyt.me/NPNotebook

Create an InventoryWhy?

• Insurance

• Audits

• Easy to identify upgrades

Inventory Tools• Belarc Advisor

– Download.com

– Best for small Org’s fewer systems

• Spiceworks– For Larger client/server

– Have to purchase

– Includes Helpdesk Trouble Ticket

– Can be enabled/disabled to help server/network performance issue

19

The Basics

20

Use a single Data StoreEasy to backup, find docs

Redirected My Documents (to server)

NAS or Server Drive Share

21

The Basics

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Label printers, routers

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniewoo/27698222/

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Flashdrives: programs, drivers & text files

Maintenance

24

What’s your “Boilerplate”

A Computer Setup common to all systems

o XP, Win7 – Plus Updates

o To Date: Chipset,Video,Audio,Network,BIOS,Other (Support-OEM website)

o Office 2007 or 2010 – Plus Updates

o Antivirus (Security Essentials) – Plus Updates

o Java, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, PDF (PrimoPDF)

o Other Common Applications – Organization Wide Apps

o Tools for Maintenance: Ccleaner, Managed Care, Remote Access, etc.

o Tune it up! Run Ccleaner Run a Defrag Disk,

25

Maintenance

“Boilerplate” to User

Building on the “Boiler[late” for a particular User..

Join the Domain (or the common Workgroup)

“Username” profile Data Files (My Doc’s from old system or restore)

Email Account

Desktop look and feel

My Computer settings

Printers (all or just some)

Applications special to that user

Additional setups or shortcuts (Mozilla, Chrome, Database shortcut, etc.)

26

Maintenance

Setup Clients for “Microsoft Update”• Combines Microsoft Product Updates

• Can be Automated

27

Maintenance

Updates and Service Patches

Check the Service Pack?

1. My Computer

2. Properties

3. General Tab

XP Service Pack 3

VISTA Service Pack 2

Win7 Service Pack 1

28

Maintenance

Updates and Service Patches

29

Maintenance

Keep Doing THIS Until You see THIS

Updates and Service Patches

30

Maintenance

Optional Updates?

Thanks… but no thanks

Dupa Dupa

31

Maintenance

PrintersGet rid of your Inkjets

Troubleshooting Printer Problems• Look for the obvious

– Ck Cabling

– Network switches for Workgroup units

– Correct Printer Selected? Driver? Port?

• For jams remove toner(s) and trays and carefully remove paper pieces

• Frequent Jamming?

– Printer Maintenance Kit

– Give new Life to Printers

– Easy to install (pickup roller, transfer roller, takeup pad, etc.)

– Google “HP Printer Maintenance Kit” etc.

• Label Jams / Black Streaks / Marks

– Replace toner cartridge

– Clean with ONLY Alcohol and Qtip swabs

– Small Shop Vac to clean up toner deposits

Maintenance

32

BackupsGood

• Flash Drives

• Fullsize/Mini USB Hard Drives

• Servero Full Size Server

o Home Server

o NAS

• Remoteo Carbonite, MozyPro,

Not so Good• Zip drives

• CD/DVD burning

• Chips (SD, Compaq..)

• Tape33

Maintenance

AntivirusInexpensive from Techsoup.org

Corporate Version (for server networks)

Symantec End Point

Client only Versions

Norton Antivirus 2011

34

Maintenance

Maintenancehttp://Microsoft.com/Security

35

Maintenance

36

Online Scanning

Spyware / Malware Antivirus takes care of “some” Spyware

Removal Applications

Malwarebytes.com

37

Maintenance

Vulnerability Scanhttp://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online/

Maintenance

38

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Passwords: Alpha/Numeric/Case Mix

Good: ap07CKT98

Bad: 123456

Largest Security Problem?

Security

Browsers

Chrome

Internet Explorer 9 (Win7)

Mozilla

Internet Explorer 7or8 (XP)

40

Maintenance

Browser Cleanup

Chrome

Mozilla

Internet Explorer 9

Internet Explorer 7 or 8

Tools, Internet Options

» Delete

» Delete All (check box)41

Maintenance

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www.ccleaner.com

System CleanupCCleaner.com

Download & Install

ONECleaner Tab1) Analyze

2) Run Cleaner

43

Maintenance

TWORegistry Tab1) Scan for Issues

2) Fix Selected issues

44

Maintenance

Disk Defrag

1. XP in System Tools

2. Run 4 or 5 passes

3. VISTA defrag tool is No Good!

4. SSD Drives DO NOT need Disk Defrag

45

Maintenance

• Review and delete items

in “Junk Email” folder

• Empty deleted mail

• Archive email you need to

keep to a .pst file

• Once or Twice a year

Email Maintenance

Maintenance

46

Troubleshooting Tips Check the obvious FIRST

Cables, power cords, network devices, are other systems OK?, etc..

Wait !! Don’t Change the settingsIf it worked before it’s not probable it was changed “magically”

Know your “Technical limits”

Make the Call.. Tech Support is standing by!

Tech Support calls

Be specific and clear

Be prepared

Serial Numbers, Make and Model, Account Info, Service Tag, Express

Service Code, … all before you pick up the phone!

47

Maintenance

Safe Mode

Loads bare-bones Windows

Safe Mode

Safe Mode with Networking

Maintenance

48

Cleaning a system• Uninstall unwanted

programs & toolbars

• Run Microsoft updates

• Update anti-virus & run a full sys scan in Safe Mode

• Run Malwarebyteso Boot to Safe Mode with

networking

o Update and scan

• Turn on system firewall

• Run Ccleaner

• Review Start-up Stuffo Ck Startup Group

o Review Startup in Ccleaner(remove OR disable)

• Defrag the drive

• Minor optimizations: Turn sounds off, Make desktop single color, keep desktop clean

Maintenance

49

Destructive Rebuild• Should be worth the rebuild

• Great time to add more RAM, blowout dust, etc

• Takes 3 to 4 hrs to rebuild, updates and data migration.

• 1st! Backup Data, Email files, Favorites

o Remove HD

» Access as 2ndary on another system

» Vantec NexStar Hard Drive Dock

• Reload XP, Win7, etc

o Save the Diagnostic Partition

o Delete (L) the Data Partition and reformat/install

• Reload drivers from Mfg website and build to Boilerplate

50

Maintenance

Free Disk Imaginghttp://tinyurl.com/25gnnx

51

Computer Lab?

52

SteadyState Deep Freeze

Maintenance

Weekly

• Check backup

• Check anti-virus

• Check anti-spyware

software

• Ccleaner “Cleaner

Tab”

Monthly

• Manual check for

Microsoft updates

• Manual update security

software:

– Anti-virus

– Anti-spyware

• Run a full system scan:

– Anti-virus

– Spyware Malware

• Defragment disk

Yearly

• Clean keyboard & mouse

• Check all software

updates and versions

• Optional: image your

system

• Optional: reformat and

clean reinstall

• Archive email every 6 to

12 months

Schedule Maintenance Tasks

What can Users do? You do?

53

Maintenance

54

Lets Break!

Questions?

55

Tips and Tricks

56

Migrate Server Apps to the “Cloud”Exchange, Database, Financials,

Cost effective over Internal Server & App

Advantages of Cloud Apps

Work from ANY computer anywhere

No backups, no server, no maintenance

No client installations

Secure

More about Cloud AppsStill needs your “management” but..easy

57

Tips and Tricks

Test your bandwidth

Speedtest.net

58

Tips and Tricks

Server Alternatives

Simplify local file sharing and backups

59

$150 to $700

Easy setup and maintenance

Reliable, secure

1. Microsoft Home Server 10 user limit

Excellent Backup and Restore

Reliable

Up to 4 Tb

2. Network Storage Device (NAS) Unlimited Users

Good Backup & File Sharing

Reliable

Size based on model & HD’s

Tips and Tricks

New Home Server (Vail)!

60

•Better but Old rev is still great

•In Microsoft Production now

•HP is out

•Acer, Asus others? Are in

•Build Option

Tips and Tricks

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Tips and TricksOnline Offsite Backups

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www.LogMeIn.com

Remote Access

Zolved Join.me

o Free remote access

o Two sides 1) Support Person 2) User in need

Tips and Tricks

63

Adobe Acrobat X - $299

retail

Pdf File Creation

1. Generate from a “pdf printer”

2. Generate from a “Save as”

PrimoPDF - http://www.primopdf.com/index.aspx

PDF Creator - http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

PDF 995 – http://www.pdf995.com

SaveAsPDF for Office 2007 -- http://tinyurl.com/6lpoyd

All Free!

Tips and Tricks

64

Turn PDF’s into Word Doc’s!

Tips and Tricks

65

Upgrades and New Purchases

66

Hardware Reality Check

Computer Lifecycle

3 to 5 years Old ?

Older than 5 years ?

67

Buy or Upgrade

Memory

Best/Only Hardware upgrade worth doing

Most Bang for Buck

• USE www.crucial.com memory config tool

Upgrade

68

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www.crucial.com

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1 - 2 Gb 32bit 2 - 4 Gb

64bit 4 and up

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$800+

1-year

warranty

5-year life

$1,300+

3-year

warranty

3-year life

www.toshibadirect.com: NB305 (left); www.dell.com: Vostro (middle), Dell Latitude E6410 (right)

$400+

1-year

warranty

3-year life

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Standardize on Corporate Make, Models

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Worthwhile Bumps

Processor Intel I3 I5 I7

Video Faster, More Video RAM (1gb)

Monitor/LCD Higher Resolutions are better

Processor Components• Performance variables between Series Models

– Number of Cores (Single, Duo, Quad..)

– Cache (2Mb, 6Mb, 12Mb)

– Speed (2.3Ghz)

– FSB (1333 mhz, 1066 mhz)

• Today Intel is king– Good Core2 or Centrino

– Better Quad Core

– Best Core i3, i5, i7

Buy

Which is a better?

74

?

Intel Integrated X4500Hd Nvidia Gforce 9800 512mb

Buy

75

Avoid BloatwareBuy “Business Grade” NOT “Consumer Grade”

Buy

Home and Home Office

Small & Medium Business

Enterprise

Dell Examples•Dell Vostro

•Dell Optiplex

76

${#}

www.pcdecrapifier.com

Upgrade to Gb Switches

Upgrade to Gb Wireless Router

Dual band wireless

Cabling

Cat5 Up to 100bt (250ft)

Cat5e Up to 1000bt (200ft)

Cat6 Better for Gb

Use a “Double NAT” to secure open “pubic” wireless

Network Upgrades

Internal LAN

WAP is secure

192.168.0.###Public

WAP is open

192.168.1.###78

Up your bandwidthCable

AT&T Uverse

Bonded T1

T1

Premium DSL

Std DSL

DSL

Dialup

79

Network Upgrades

Content Filtering

80

Tech Resources

Training

81

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http://hwyt.me/optimizewindows

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www.microsoft.com/atwork/

By Sue

Bennett

84

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techguide.highwayt.org

Office.Microsoft.com

Free training and demos for Office and More!

86

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http://hp.com/go/learningcenter

www.nten.org

88

www.idealware.org

89

Search by:

• Hardware make / model number

• Error number

• Program name / version number

• Error description

• Operating system version

• Key phrase

Tips and Tricks

90

Tech Resources

91

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Tech Resources

94

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