Cumulus Global Launches Google Sites Design Services With Kirksville Web Design

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Cumulus Global (www.cumulusglobal.com) announced today a new partnership with Kirksville Web Design (www.kirksvillewebdesign.com) and the immediate launch of new Google Sites design and development services.

These services will provide businesses, schools, non-profits, and governments with access to affordable site design and development services for intranet sites, project management sites, secure customer portals, and public web sites.  In addition to offering site design, Cumulus Global and Kirksville Web Design will create Google Site and Page Templates that allow organizations to build and grow their sites themselves.

“We are excited to be helping organizations take advantage of the full range of collaboration tools within Google Apps,”  noted Allen Falcon, CEO of Cumulus Global. “The team at Kirksville Web Design brings creative, design, and development expertise to the process of building effective Google Sites.”

Google Apps provides organizations with much more than a hosted email solution. Features such as Talk, Sites, Forms, Docs, Video, and Drive, give individuals and organizations better tools for communicating and collaborating.  Whether improving work flow among co-workers or delivering better customer service, Google Apps makes it easier to securely share information while improving accessibility.

About Cumulus Global
Cumulus Global (https://www.cumulusglobal.com) is Cloud Solutions Provider and a Google Apps Premier SMB Reseller helping small and mid-size businesses, non-profits, governments, and educational institutions move from in-house systems to cloud computing solutions.  Serving clients from 1 to more than 1,000 employees across numerous industries, we align technology with our clients’ goals, objectives, and bottom lines. We leverage our expertise, vendor relationships, and a diversified range of best-of-breed cloud services to create custom solutions with tangible value. In addition to Google Apps, Cumulus Global offers a range of cloud-based security, storage, and server solutions.

About Kirksville Web Design
Kirksville Web Design (http://www.kirksvillewebdesign.com) is on the cusp of innovation and web design by incorporating Google Sites and subsidiary applications to meet customers’ communication and marketing needs.  We create clean, modern sites with high visibility at affordable fees.  We teach, train, and consult to bring companies success in their online marketing and website management.  In just three years, Kirksville Web Design has completed more than 300 Google Sites design and development projects.

 

Do Your IT Choices Help or Hurt Your Ability to Hire the Best Talent?

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When you think of your IT decisions, you probably think of features, functions, cost, operations, and, hopefully, how well your IT decisions support your business goals and objectives.

Have you, however, ever considered if your IT decisions impact your ability to hire the best talent? Just like your reputation as an employer, office space, and benefits package make an impression on prospective employees, so does your IT.

Case in Point: Blackberry.  As recently as two years ago, most companies picked a carrier, a few models of phones, and provided them to employees.  Blackberry was on top.  With the rapid expansion of smartphone capabilities, a growing number of employees chose to opt-out of the company option and use their personal device.  Businesses obliged and “Bring Your Own Device” is becoming the norm (as are Android and IOS devices).  After all, why limit your employees to a lesser solution that makes them less productive?

Why would a potential employee want to work at a company where the technology is a step backward?

With the adoption rate of cloud computing solutions, such as Google Apps, at universities, high schools, and even grade and middle schools exploding, your future employees are already used to working in an IT environment that enables communication and collaboration in ways traditional in-house systems cannot.

The people you want to hire already …

  • Use on-line and real-time collaboration.
  • Expect secure access to information from any device they choose, wherever they are working, without the headaches and challenges of VPNs and remote desktop solutions.
  • Take advantage of integrated communication services.
  • Expect constant improvements in the IT services they use.

So when the people you want to hire walk into your business, what do they see?  Do they see the dynamic, responsive, IT infrastructure that they know and love?  Or, do they see reliance on centralized information silos, collaboration via email attachments, limited access to information and their peers, and an environment that only sees improvements every three to five years?

As you plan your next round of IT upgrades and changes, avoid inertia and look beyond the next version of the status quo.  Look at IT solutions that can fundamentally change and improve the ability of your knowledge workers to communicate and collaborate — to use their knowledge.  Look at IT solutions that scale as your business evolves.  Look at IT solutions that give your business the power of continuous innovation.

Look at Cloud Computing.  Look at Google Apps.

Tuesday Take-Away: 6 Ways to Protect IP within Google Apps

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While some remain suspect of security and privacy with cloud computing, Google Apps actually offers ways to help protect and preserve a company’s Intellectual Property (“IP”) that are not readily available in traditional, in-house systems.  Why worry about IP? Because as business becomes more electronic, your contracts, agreements, change orders, and work product are more likely to be written, reviewed, updated, and negotiated on-line. Protecting your documents, data, and information means protecting your business.

Let’s Get Technical

Google Apps’ underlying data management is Write Once; Ready Many (aka “WORM”). In other words, once information is saved in Google’s system it cannot be altered.  Unlike MS Exchange or a Windows File Server on which a Domain Administrator can alter any existing content anywhere, once data is saved in Google Apps, it cannot be modified.

Granted, you can reply to an email and modify the embedded copy of the original message. But, the original message is still saved as it was received.  Similarly, you can open a Google Doc and modify the content, but the revision history is there and you can go back to a prior versions.

The big risk to WORM is the power to delete … but we have a solution for that too.

Here are Six Ways To Protect Your IP with Google Apps:

 

1) Comments in Google Docs

Even if you switch to MS Word for your final formatting, draft your documents in Google Docs using the “Insert Comment” feature.  By keeping editing writes to yourself and giving comments only permission to your associates, you have full control of the document’s contents.  You associates — be they co-workers, a client, or opposing council — have the ability to highlight portions of the document and comment.  Whether they ask questions or suggest alternate wording, you can reply in-kind via comment as you edit the document.

Once final agreement is reached, you can “resolve” the comment.  While it disappears from view, it is part of the permanent history of the document.

Imagine two lawyers discussing and agreeing to the intent of a contract clause.  If an issue were to come up at some point in the future, any discussion of the ‘original intent’ of the clause would be cut short by the comment thread saved at the time.

2) Message Discovery (now); Google Vault (soon)

As noted above, the big risk to IP in Google Docs is deletion.  Google Message Discovery (GMD) available to all Google Apps users,  provide a secure, compliant archive of all inbound, outbound, and internal email messages with retention of up to 10 years.  The service provides search and e-discovery tools as well.

Imagine a client refusing to pay for work that was not “officially authorized”.  With GMD in place, you can produce the email thread discussing the work and providing the authorization.

Google Vault, available to new Google Apps customers now and all Google Apps users in the near future, extends the archiving ability of Google Apps in several ways.   Google Vault recognizes that you IP is not just in email and that your retention needs will vary.  Google Vault lets you:

  • Archive email, instant messages, and documents
  • Provide unlimited retention of archived information
  • Take advantage of the WORM underpinnings of Google Apps to maintain and protect your IP.

3) Google Drive and Docs

In our increasingly electronic world, more work gets done on the go.  By implementing Google Drive, your users have the ability to work locally while synchronizing and saving files automatically in Google Docs.  Beyond providing a convenient way to work — online or offline — Google Drive provides a level of protection for your IP from local hardware issues.  Combined with a backup/recovery strategy (see below), you have even better data protection.

Also, by adding additional space, you can also strategically create a secure file sharing structure where ownership of folders and files mimics traditional file server models.

4) Protected Folders

One way to protect IP is to ensure that final documents are tamper-proof and protected from deletion.  You can prevent critical documents from being editing or deleted by setting up protected folders.  These folders provide defined view permission, but will prevent users from tampering or removing critical information from within Google Docs.

CloudLock is one such service that lets you create protected folders.  In doing so, you can also determine who can add files to these folders, who can view folder content, and which administrative account manages the folders.

5) Backup / Restore

While Google Apps prevents data loss from hardware/software issues and provides version histories, Google Apps cannot prevent user mistakes or acts of malice.  Files not protected from deletion (see above) are vulnerable.  Additionally, you still need to protect against problems that can occur on any file server, such as uploading and sharing virus-infected files.

Given that in users have critical data in each of the Google Apps services, tools like Backupify offer a broad range of protection.  Backupify protects user content in email, calendar, contacts, docs, and sites.

6) Permissions Monitoring

Google Apps makes collaboration easy.  And, while you can restrict users ability to share to some extent, understanding the visibility of IP within and outside your business, and monitoring your documents for changes in exposure is an emerging best practice.

A key element of the CloudLock service are the ability to monitor changes in document permissions, the ability to change document ownership, and the emerging ability to set alerts based on keywords and business rules.

Wrap Up

When moving your data from in-house systems to Google Apps or other cloud services, you want and need to make sure that your data is at least, if not more, secure and private. Just as with in-house systems, you have tools and services available to manage and protect your intellectual property when using cloud solutions.  Google Apps provides a great foundation with an infrastructure designed to protect data with every save.  Integrated, third party tools like CloudLock and Backupify, along with new features in Google Apps itself, provide a manageable, secure, ecosystem.

Gerry Gross Joins Cumulus Global for North American Cloud Sales

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Boston, MA – June 12, 2012 – Cumulus Global announced today the addition of Gerry Gross to its North American Cloud Sales team. Gerry will help small and mid-size businesses, schools, and local governments move from in-house or hosted technologies to cloud-based solutions.

“We are excited to have Gerry on the team,” noted Allen Falcon, CEO of Cumulus Global. “Gerry’s background delivering wireless services to small businesses gives him a unique understanding of remote and mobile computing — a key factor for many businesses considering cloud computing.”

Prior to joining Cumulus Global, Gerry owned and operated several Verizon Wilress stores in Central Massachusetts and served as a sales and business development executive for a regional B2B Verizon Wireless representative. Moving beyond consumer sales and service, Gerry focused on serving the needs of small and mid-size businesses with an emphasis on solutions and customer service.

Tuesday Take-Away: Chromebook Updates = More Value

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Over the past four months, we have helped more than 50 schools and school districts introduce Chromebooks or expand their use of Chromebooks.  While some schools are creating carts that can move between classrooms, others are using Chromebooks as tools for specific learning modules and curricula and as their preferred device for 1:1 student computing programs.

Recent Chromebook Updates — hardware, software, and program — further enhance the value of Chromebooks for schools, libraries, and businesses.

New Chromebook Model

The new Samsung Chromebook Series-5 550 performs 3 times faster than the original Series-5 system, and includes may other improvements:

  • Double the RAM (4GB)
  • Intel Celeron Processor, an upgrade from the Atom processor in prior units
  • HD Webcam
  • Intel 3000 Graphics accelerator
  • Expanded external display options with a DisplayPort++ supporting VGA, DVI, and HDMI monitors
  • ChromeOS Management Service

New Chromebox

The new Chromebox is a notepad-sized computer designed to replace desktop systems where cloud-based apps are the norm and/or where VDI services are available for legacy applications. They also work well for kiosks and as public access computers in libraries.

The Chromebox features:

  • 4GB RAM
  • Intel Celeron Processor
  • Intel 3000 Graphics accelerator
  • External display options with a DisplayPort++ supporting VGA, DVI, and HDMI monitors
  • 6 USB 2.0 ports
  • ChromeOS Management Service

ChromeOS Updates

Google is currently releasing a new version of ChromeOS.  The new version includes features that look and feel more familiar to most users.  These include:

  • Multiple browser windows
  • The ability to move and re-size windows
  • A “desktop” space for listing and launching applications and web site

Initial feedback from our customers is very positive.

ChromeOS Management Service

One of the benefits of Chromebooks for Business and Chromebooks for Education is the integrated ChromeOS Management Service.  In changing the licensing structure of the service, the ChromeOS Management Service is now a “lifetime” license.  Google guarantees the ChromeOS Management Service will be supported for each Chromebook/Chromebox model for at least 3 years from the date the model is no longer available for sale.

Additionally, we can now offer the ChromeOS Management Service for Chromebooks that were purchased from retail outlets.

For more information about Chromebooks for Education and Chromebooks for Business, or to discuss if Chromebooks fit your “use cases”, please contact us for a free consultation.

 


Friday Thought: Google Drive – Yield Before Your Leap

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Google (finally) announced and began releasing Google Drive.  For those not in the know, Google Drive is cloud storage available as a stand-alone service or as a component of Google Apps.  The stand-alone version included 5GB of storage for free with affordable plans for more space — a direct competitive threat to services like Dropbox and Box.  Both versions include sync clients for PCs, MACs, and iPhone/iPad that give you standard desktop/folder access to your data in the cloud.

Google Drive for Business

Google Drive for Business is a new component to Google Apps for Business that will roll out to customers over the next several weeks.  While the business version shares the device sync tool with the consumer version, it offers much more to the business customer:

  • Control over which users can use the service and which users can download and use the sync clients.
  • Control over which, if any, users can purchase additional storage independently
  • The ability to centrally purchase storage and allocate storage to users as needed

Benefits

  • You can now more easily use and integrate Google Docs as your file service; users can more easily collaborate and share information.
  • Users can work locally using their current desktop applications and files will be saved and shared in their Google Docs folders.
  • Users can have secure access to files from computers, tablets, and smart phones without the overhead of a VPN service.
  • Storage for uploaded or sync’d files in “native” formats has increased to 5 GB per user.

Challenges

  • Unlike an on-premise file server, Google Drive does not lock open files.  While you have version tracking, if two individuals are locally editing the same file, the most recent copy to sync will be the current version.
  • Users may quickly fill up their 5GB of space; additional storage is affordable.
  • Because sharing is easy, businesses should have policies and processes in place to oversee and manage permissions.

Deployment Strategy

In our experience, your Google Drive deployment strategy will focus on how you decide to manage your storage.  While nice, 5 GB per user will not be sufficient for most businesses, particularly since the space is user-specific.  Adding space is affordable, and will be necessary.

When you add space to Google Docs and Drives, you are actually subscribing to the additional space on a per user basis.  Licenses range in size from 20 GB to 16 TB at a monthly cost of $0.10 per GB or less (with no bandwidth and get/put charges).  While this strategy works, it will require monitoring space usage on a per user basis.

Another approach is to add a user account to serve as your file service.  In doing so, you purchase additional storage only for this “user” and configure the space along the lines of a traditional file server.  You have the freedom to create and share your top level folders and folder trees, and users will be able to see the file service as “Shared with Me”.  Users can then move folders to “My Drive” if they want the information available locally on their PC or Mac.

A central storage strategy also enables additional storage management options.  Tools like CloudLock Vault — a tool to monitor permissions and create tamper-proof and protected folders — run best when the space is owned by a generic file service administration account.

Alternatives

Almost always, there is more than one option.  As an alternative to Google Drive, tools like SyncDocs provide the ability to sync Google Docs (with or without extra storage) to a local file structure.  In some ways, SyncDocs offers a better user experience.  SyncDocs has more options with respect to folder location, the ability to select which Google Doc folders to sync locally, and the ability to specify conversion preferences.

When looking at Google Drive and its alternatives, we recommend walking through a few use cases to see which piece of software best meets your needs.

Conclusion

Google Drive, combined with Google Docs and additional space, provides Google Apps users with more opportunity to simplify file services.  Moving file services to the cloud is a logical next step for many businesses, as it can further reduce and simplify your IT footprint well beyond replacing a file server.  The need for VPN and expensive remote access servers can be greatly reduced or eliminated.

If you want to learn more or join us for a demo, please let us know.

 

Cumulus Global to Host Cloud Solutions Showcase at CT Business Expo

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Cumulus Global announced today their sponsorship of the Cloud Solutions Showcase at the Connecticut Business Expo on June 7th at the Connecticut Convention Center. The showcase will feature two additional educational sessions designed for small and mid-sized businesses considering if, when, or how to take advantage of cloud computing.

The first session, Cloud Strategies and Tactics, running at 3:00 pm, will discuss how, when, and why moving to cloud computing is worthwhile for small and mid-size businesses. The session will discuss strategic versus tactical solutions and will help attendees define a road map.

The second session, Real Business Value from Cloud Computing and Google Apps, running at 4:00 pm, will present research covering tangible benefits of cloud computing that extend beyond the typical hardware and software considerations, including Teamwork, Innovation, Mobility, Acquisitions, and Total Cost of Ownership.

Both sessions will include demonstrations of some of the business-enabling features of Google Apps for Business and related cloud computing solutions..

“I am honored and excited to be part of the Cloud Solutions Showcase,” added Allen Falcon, CEO of Cumulus Global. “I look forward to providing small and mid-size businesses real ideas, options, and plans for cloud computing. We want business owners and IT managers to see beyond the hype, to understand the values and the risks.”

The Cloud Solutions Showcase is hosted by Cumulus Global. Business Expo attendees may register for one or both of the sessions at no cost on the CT Business Expo web site (www.ctbexpo.com) or from the individual event entries on Cumulus Global’s event calendar at https://www.cumulusglobal.com/news-and-events.php.

About Cumulus Global

Cumulus Global (https://www.cumulusglobal.com), formerly Horizon Info Services, is a Google Apps Premier SMB Reseller helping small and mid-size businesses, non-profits, governments, and educational institutions thrive by delivering cloud computing solutions. Serving clients from 1 to more than 1,000 employees across numerous industries, we align technology with our clients’ goals, objectives, and bottom lines. We leverage our expertise, vendor relationships, and a diversified range of best-of-breed cloud services to create custom solutions with tangible value.

As a member of the Google Apps Reseller Program, Cumulus Global leverages training, support, and tools from Google to best serve the needs of its customers.

Upgrade In-House or Migrate to the Cloud?

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Over the weekend, I received an invitation to a webinar about upgrading Microsoft’s Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 to the current SBS 2011 version.  Aimed at technology providers, the agenda is fairly straight forward … but troubling in how it exemplifies the problem with so many in-house solutions.

  • How to prepare clients and manage their expectations for a migration
  • What can go wrong and what to expect
  • Tools that will help you prepare for the migration
  • How to install Small Business Server 2011
  • The migration process
  • Using the Call Stack Window
  • How to remove Small Business Server 2003

While I agree with all of the topics and considerations, upgrading technology, particularly from one version of a product to a newer version, should not be this difficult.  And, in reality, migrating to new solutions need not be this difficult for most businesses.

For most small businesses, moving from Small Business Server to Google Apps for Business will be easier than upgrading Small Business Server in-house. Here is why:

  1. No need to add, replace, or upgrade hardware
  2. No need to upgrade Client Access Licenses (CALs) on every computer
  3. Dual delivery ensures zero data loss and little or no downtime
  4. Data migrates directly from server to cloud without complex data preparation procedures
  5. No need to also upgrade your email spam/virus protection — Postini is part of Google Apps
  6. No need to upgrade your email server backup solution — Message Archive & Discovery and/or enhanced backup services can be added instantly to your Google Apps domain
  7. No need to upgrade your mobile connections — Android, Blackberry, and iPhones integrate directly with Google Apps
  8. Easier remote access — your data is in the cloud, so you may no longer need your VPN, Citrix, or remote desktop service

While Google Apps for Business may not be the solution for every small business, it is a solution worthy of serious consideration.

Cumulus Global offers bundles that integrate Google Apps with value-add services to provide small businesses with a more complete and custom solution.  Click the links to learn more about Google Apps and the CumuluSuite for SoHo bundles.

 

Cumulus Global and Google Apps Host Executive Briefing at e-Marketing & Technology Summit

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Hartford, CT – February 21, 2012 – Cumulus Global and Google Apps aree-Marketing & Technology Summit hosting an Executive Luncheon at the Hartford Business Journal’s e-Marketing and Technology Summit on February 29, 2012, at Maneeley’s in South Windsor, CT.  The session, Real Business Value from Cloud Computing and Google Apps, intends to provide small and mid-size business owners and executives with research results and customer perspectives on the business value of cloud computing and of moving from on-premise systems to Google Apps for Business.  Allen Falcon, CEO of Cumulus Global, a cloud solutions provider recently awarded Premier SMB Reseller status from Google, will present the luncheon keynote.

“Beyond looking at hardware and software savings, Allen will present tangible ROI that companies gain from resulting improvements in teamwork, innovation, mobility, acquisitions, and eco stewardship,” noted Bill Kenney, Director of Events for the Hartford Business Journal.  “Adding this Executive Luncheon keynote to the e-Marketing and Technology Summit provides business owners with an unique opportunity to learn and to make better decisions.”

Allen will be joined by members of Google’s Enterprise Team, live from Google headquarters, to demonstrate some of the business-enabling features in Google Apps and to answer audience questions.

“I am honored to have this opportunity,” added Falcon.  “I look forward to sharing the research, discussing real customer experiences, and demonstrating value in a way that will help the audience better understand the opportunities that cloud computing, and Google Apps in particular, can provide to their businesses.”

The Executive Luncheon is sponsored by Cumulus Global and Google Apps for Business.  Registrants for the e-Marketing & Technology Summit may add the Executive Luncheon to their program at no additional cost.

Executives may also register for the lunch separately on the Hartford Business Journal’s website here. (https://hartfordbusiness.esecuretransactions.com/event_register.php?cf_form_name=event_cloudgoogle)

About Google Apps
Google Apps brings simple, powerful communication and collaboration tools to organizations of any size – all hosted by Google to streamline setup, minimize maintenance, and reduce IT costs.  With Gmail (including Google email security, powered by Postini), Google Calendar, and integrated Instant Messaging, users can stay connected and work together with ease. And, using Google Docs and Google Sites, which include word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and website creation tools, they can share files and collaborate in real-time, keeping versions organized and available wherever and whenever users work.

About Cumulus

GlobalCumulus Global (https://www.cumulusglobal.com), formerly Horizon Info Services, is a Google Apps Premier SMB Reseller helping small and mid-size businesses, non-profits, governments, and educational institutions thrive by delivering cloud computing solutions.  Serving clients from 1 to more than 1,000 employees across numerous industries, we align technology with our clients’ goals, objectives, and bottom lines. We leverage our expertise, vendor relationships, and a diversified range of best-of-breed cloud services to create custom solutions with tangible value.

Tuesday Take-Away: Style Management in Google Docs

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Those who know me recognize that my evangelistic zealousness for cloud computing is always tempered with a healthy dose of pragmatism.  I see the benefits, the efficiency, and the value of cloud computing and Google Apps well beyond the basic savings.   And yet, even I have not fully migrated off MS Office for some of my productivity needs.

Why?  I am a “moderate power user” of MS Office.  I rely on preset and custom styles to make formatting documents easier.  And until now, styles have been lacking in Google Docs. This is not a huge problem, I just never liked the size, font, and spacing selection of the standard Heading styles in Google Docs.

Fortunately, change is here.

In Google Docs, you can now change the default styles to meet your preferences.  To do so is simple.  First, set up the text they way you want it to look — font, size, attributes, line spacing, alignment, et cetera.  Next, pull down the style menu, click on the arrow next to the style you want to define, and select “Update to Match Selection.”  Voila!  You have a style.

There are a few limitations.  Most notably, your styles are saved for the document only and not as a default template.   You can, however, create a document as a style sheet, make it ‘read only’ and make a copy when you need a blank document with your style preferences.

As responsiveness to customer feedback and constant innovation lead to new features and capabilities in Google Apps, the case for Google Apps grows stronger.  Click here to learn more about the benefits.