we're seeing a good take-up of cloud email over the last few months.
This seems to coincide with a largish number of businesses upgrading 2003 sbs servers and microsoft's removal of SBS 2012 (there's now small business server option any more).
Correlated to this is the huge reductions in support calls - we are seeing effectively zero support calls for customers after the migration.
if you're looking to get into the cloud click on the link as we now do small business migrations for free!
http://www.pirantech.co.uk/software/google-apps.html
you can start a free trial of office 365 using the link below:
Start my office 365 free trial now!
Monday, 17 September 2012
Friday, 17 August 2012
802.11ac - any reason?
wireless is an emerging set of standards covering throughput, frequencies and security.
over time the evolution has led to better security (e.g. wpa1 -> wpa2), and throuput (more ariels and frequencies used).
in a way everyone thought 802.11n was going to amaze the world, but because it was a loose set of standards not all compatible devices have all features e.g. access point/laptop can be 802.11n but only have one ariel etc.
802.11ac essentially mandates combining multiple standards and frequencies to increase throughput.
once deployed at access point and client end the throughput advantages should be very good.
if you have ever used voice or video over wireless then the advantages will be obvious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11ac
over time the evolution has led to better security (e.g. wpa1 -> wpa2), and throuput (more ariels and frequencies used).
in a way everyone thought 802.11n was going to amaze the world, but because it was a loose set of standards not all compatible devices have all features e.g. access point/laptop can be 802.11n but only have one ariel etc.
802.11ac essentially mandates combining multiple standards and frequencies to increase throughput.
once deployed at access point and client end the throughput advantages should be very good.
if you have ever used voice or video over wireless then the advantages will be obvious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11ac
what is a layer 3 switch for?
Talking to a sales guy today and the question came up asking what the point was.
without getting too complicated here is the answer as i see it:
1. switches are much faster than routers.
2. vlans and routers are conventionally used to break a network up in to segments so that problems in one area e.g. a sales floor dont affect another such as R&D
3. usually a separate router is used to route between vlans which is limited to the speed of the link e.g. 100Mb/Gb
4. all traffic between vlans has to travel to and from the router as well as a delay in routing calculations
5. this causes bottlenecks
6. layer 3 router is a switch that can do routing. this means traffic can route between vlans at backplane speeds. So... bottleneck removed.
the extra bonus is usually you can get either a modular switch or stackable (cisco flexstack) which means you can plug e.g. a server into both switches providing high availability (ie everything keeps working if a switch fails).
oh and obviously by default a layer 3 switch is going to be manageable which means you can diagnose problems with individual ports
and ....
configure Quality of Service (QoS) which priorities voice traffic to prevent file downloads causing interference.
without getting too complicated here is the answer as i see it:
1. switches are much faster than routers.
2. vlans and routers are conventionally used to break a network up in to segments so that problems in one area e.g. a sales floor dont affect another such as R&D
3. usually a separate router is used to route between vlans which is limited to the speed of the link e.g. 100Mb/Gb
4. all traffic between vlans has to travel to and from the router as well as a delay in routing calculations
5. this causes bottlenecks
6. layer 3 router is a switch that can do routing. this means traffic can route between vlans at backplane speeds. So... bottleneck removed.
the extra bonus is usually you can get either a modular switch or stackable (cisco flexstack) which means you can plug e.g. a server into both switches providing high availability (ie everything keeps working if a switch fails).
oh and obviously by default a layer 3 switch is going to be manageable which means you can diagnose problems with individual ports
and ....
configure Quality of Service (QoS) which priorities voice traffic to prevent file downloads causing interference.
cornwall fttp live postcodes!
clearly some good progress now being made.
ill be happier when i can get something, but this wont be long as they have laid all the fibre down the road now.
PL146AF
PL146BT
PL146DW
PL144AE
PL146AD
PL146BW
PL144AB
PL146BP
PL146AB
PL146AH
PL144AL
PL146DQ
PL149AF
PL143WH
PL146WY
PL146LZ
PL143ZQ
PL149AQ
PL146BS
PL146AY
PL143WG
PL146AL
PL149AA
PL149AR
PL149AJ
PL149AT
PL146AR
PL146BX
PL149AG
PL143XZ
PL146WX
PL149AU
PL149BA
PL146AA
PL149AN
PL146XX
PL146EY
PL146AE
PL146DP
PL144YT
PL146DX
PL143HW
PL146EZ
PL149AS
PL143TP
PL143AQ
PL144BE
PL144FD
PL143AY
PL143BA
PL143UB
PL143UJ
PL143PS
PL143UL
PL143PL
PL143DR
PL143UH
PL143BR
PL143UQ
PL143UY
PL143UU
PL143DN
PL143UZ
PL143FG
PL143UP
PL143UW
PL143FH
PL143FD
PL143UG
PL143WP
PL144NU
PL143TP
PL143AX
PL143JB
PL143JE
PL143JU
PL143QH
PL143JA
PL143AU
PL143JY
PL143AR
PL143AG
PL143JJ
PL143JX
PL143GZ
PL143EE
PL143JH
PL143JG
PL143AJ
PL143AL
PL143EF
PL143EG
PL143ED
PL143JL
PL143AT
PL143EN
PL143AN
PL143HR
PL143AH
PL143JZ
PL255PX
PL255EN
PL255QD
PL254BE
PL255QA
PL254BH
PL254AY
PL254BA
PL254DD
PL254BB
PL254AE
PL255QB
PL254LA
PL255HP
PL254AX
PL254TR
PL254AB
PL254SZ
PL255BN
PL254AT
PL255BS
PL255BT
PL255PE
PL255PQ
PL255BJ
PL255DQ
PL254SY
PL254TW
PL255AU
PL254AA
PL255BL
PL255PH
PL255TY
PL255BH
PL255BS
PL255BN
PL255PX
PL255LS
PL255EP
PL255BT
PL255PY
PL255ER
PL255LY
PL255YY
PL255PN
PL255BW
PL255BA
PL255BG
PL255YS
PL255YE
PL255LJ
PL253TJ
PL253XB
PL253BX
PL253BZ
PL253XA
PL253BY
PL267BX
PL254NL
PL254DT
PL254AT
PL254RD
PL254TE
PL254TJ
PL254TA
PL254QU
PL254TB
PL254QT
PL255NY
PL253TA
PL253TX
PL253AH
PL253RU
PL253QT
PL253QJ
PL253SX
PL253QN
PL253SS
PL253QH
PL253SU
PL253RX
PL253QR
PL253SR
PL253QL
PL253EY
PL253EZ
PL253TF
PL254DS
PL254DU
PL254JY
PL254PH
PL254AZ
PL254BL
TR114SN
TR114RX
TR114JB
TR114SP
TR114LA
TR114LN
TR114JX
TR114JY
TR114JR
TR114JP
TR114JU
TR114LG
TR114JF
TR114LF
TR114LB
TR114LE
TR114JT
TR114JS
TR114LD
TR112LQ
TR112UL
TR114JZ
TR113HS
TR114DS
TR113RR
TR114QS
TR113LP
TR113EW
TR113HT
TR113LY
TR113NW
TR113HR
TR113EN
TR113NG
TR113HW
TR114DT
TR114QX
TR113NH
TR114RH
TR113GP
TR113NN
TR113LZ
TR114QY
TR113NJ
TR114QT
TR114RE
TR113JS
TR114RF
TR114QU
TR113SU
TR113JR
TR113HN
TR113EE
TR114RD
TR114RG
TR115BS
TR114NH
TR112JN
TR115BB
TR115EA
TR115FR
TR115GE
TR115BL
TR115BJ
TR115UZ
TR115FE
TR115GH
TR115XD
TR115GG
TR115FJ
TR112NE
TR113NH
TR113BL
TR113RP
TR113BN
TR113LS
TR113NE
TR113LL
TR113EL
TR113NG
TR113EN
TR113AY
TR113LY
TR113NW
TR113ND
TR113RS
TR113EW
TR114QZ
TR113LP
TR113LU
TR114QS
TR113RR
TR113LN
TR113NT
TR113ER
TR113EU
TR113EH
TR113NB
TR113ES
TR113LX
TR113LW
TR113NY
TR113BQ
TR113BE
TR113BH
TR113NX
TR113NR
TR113BG
TR113NA
TR113LT
TR113LR
TR113EP
TR113NP
TR113BJ
TR113NU
TR113NQ
TR113NS
TR113LQ
TR113JD
TR113HW
TR113HX
TR113EQ
TR113DN
TR113EL
TR113AY
TR113EG
TR113EJ
TR113AX
TR113DP
TR113DR
TR113HJ
TR113DJ
TR113FD
TR113BA
TR112DU
TR112BE
TR112BB
TR112BA
TR112XA
TR112BJ
TR112BD
TR112BQ
TR112UQ
TR112BH
TR112AT
TR112AU
TR112BG
TR276GQ
TR276GP
TR276GL
TR276GN
TR276GB
TR276GJ
TR276GH
TR276GE
TR13XJ
TR11UU
TR13PD
TR13PE
TR13NX
TR13PE
TR13RD
TR13NY
TR13QX
TR13NU
TR13PD
TR13PA
TR13NZ
TR13PL
TR36BT
TR36BU
TR49LD
TR49LE
TR49LG
TR12SJ
TR12QS
TR12AR
TR12QW
TR12BE
TR12BD
TR12RQ
TR12UE
TR12UF
TR12AF
TR12AJ
TR12RA
TR11XU
TR12AP
TR12RU
TR12RL
TR12RX
TR12RP
TR12RS
TR12RW
TR12QU
TR12RB
TR12PN
TR12QS
TR12EL
TR12QZ
TR11LN
TR11LA
TR11PS
TR11LP
TR11JZ
TR11GH
TR11RJ
TR11LE
TR11LU
TR11XN
TR11AH
TR11YS
TR11YP
TR11TF
TR11AF
TR11RN
TR11AJ
TR11LT
TR11SB
TR11YR
TR11LX
TR12JW
TR13UR
TR13JE
TR13HX
TR13JD
TR12JJ
TR13JL
TR48NQ
TR13BX
TR12JL
TR13HS
TR13NW
TR13DQ
TR12JN
TR13BZ
TR12GQ
TR13JF
TR13HH
TR13NR
TR12DW
TR12DS
TR12PA
TR12NT
TR12TR
TR12XT
TR12EP
TR12EN
TR13FG
TR13XJ
TR13GA
TR13NF
TR13YJ
TR13XX
TR13WW
TR13RX
TR13YL
TR13YB
TR13YA
TR13WN
TR13GD
TR13XH
TR11JL
TR11QB
TR11JU
TR11QH
TR11QQ
TR11PU
TR11DH
TR11JN
TR11PT
TR11QL
TR11UT
TR11QA
TR49LD
TR49NY
TR36BW
TR49NH
TR49LF
TR11AG
TR11AN
TR11AW
TR11AQ
TR11AT
TR11AP
TR11AU
TR11AR
TR11RA
TR11WE
TR11WL
TR11NG
TR11WE
TR11UF
TR11AY
TR11FG
TR13AE
Friday, 30 March 2012
quickly panic buy petrol to boost gdp and avoid recession
cant help being cynical and thinking that the government panic related to fuel may be linked to the recent OECD prediction of recession for the uk. Panic buying of fuel before the end of march can only help boost GDP a little...
it will be interesting to see how close the GDP figures are on the 25th of April. I imagine it might be useful to the government to avoid official recession - it might be as close a difference as -0.1% vs 0%...
it will be interesting to see how close the GDP figures are on the 25th of April. I imagine it might be useful to the government to avoid official recession - it might be as close a difference as -0.1% vs 0%...
Monday, 5 March 2012
superfast broandband in cornwall
superfast broadband now covers large parts of cornwall and nearly everyone knows someone who has it at home.
unfortunately the availability is not so good for businesses on industrial estates. we tested customers in all the industrial estates in converted areas. not a single one can get super-fast broandband, and even more worryingly we could only find one scheduled to be converted (December 2012).
ourISP told us that this is because BT is not rushing the process for business areas possibly to maintain existing income streams (ie leased lines).
i contacted the cornwall development company and BT for further information. initially we got the standard completely useless) answer. We noticed that people with clout (MP's, CEO's of large companies, councillors) seem to get better treatment and promised concrete results (cabinets previously not designated for conversion upgraded after a phonecall). Through a helpful person as per above i got given ...
the contact number of the project coordinator at BT.
i was told that all these areas are going to get FTTP potentially and therefore require further surveys.
unfortunately this meant all these areas therefore get nothing in the short term, but much better speeds in the long term. Flannel or good new; i cant be sure, but its been four weeks and the press release a few days ago now says a quarter of all cornish businesses can get superfast broadband.
1. we cant find any businesses that can be enabled (or scheduled)
2. we can find a lot of residential areas enabled (everyone at work can get it at home)
3. theres a huge billboard at asda in penryn saying "available in this area", but it isnt (although it is in mabe burnthouse a residential estate several miles up the hill).
4. the superfast broadband project in redruth uses a leased line in the innovation centre
5. 260+ postcodes enabled in redruth between december and february
6. no industrial estates in redruth enabled yet (barncoose, poole, cardrew, treleigh)
7. similar picture in falmouth, truro etc
8. several years into the project i still know businesses and people who cannot get any broadband at all
9. there are still no concrete/publishable timelines for helping these businesses or people
10. even when things get rolling FTTP is much more complex and slow to deploy (4 separate products allocated on a per-site basis)
11. some currently allocated as FTTP (ie delayed) are not going to get FTTP and as such will then be downgraded to FTTC
12. project leaders say we are "lucky" compared to the rest of the uk. strange that lucky equates to nothing, not even published timescales 2+ years into the project
13. the rest of the uk is rolling out superfast broadband at a similar rate so a cynical person may state that cornwall actually got superfast slower than everywhere else as BT postphoned the project when the conservatives paused the funding while continuing to roll out to areas that were not eligible for funding.
14. check out the businesses cited as having been enabled, they are either directly involved in the project or extremely small (e.g. the britannia inn pub, chacewater - the flagship of cornish industry
15. ill post again when one of our customers gets enabled i hope i am wrong and its soon
unfortunately the availability is not so good for businesses on industrial estates. we tested customers in all the industrial estates in converted areas. not a single one can get super-fast broandband, and even more worryingly we could only find one scheduled to be converted (December 2012).
ourISP told us that this is because BT is not rushing the process for business areas possibly to maintain existing income streams (ie leased lines).
i contacted the cornwall development company and BT for further information. initially we got the standard completely useless) answer. We noticed that people with clout (MP's, CEO's of large companies, councillors) seem to get better treatment and promised concrete results (cabinets previously not designated for conversion upgraded after a phonecall). Through a helpful person as per above i got given ...
the contact number of the project coordinator at BT.
i was told that all these areas are going to get FTTP potentially and therefore require further surveys.
unfortunately this meant all these areas therefore get nothing in the short term, but much better speeds in the long term. Flannel or good new; i cant be sure, but its been four weeks and the press release a few days ago now says a quarter of all cornish businesses can get superfast broadband.
1. we cant find any businesses that can be enabled (or scheduled)
2. we can find a lot of residential areas enabled (everyone at work can get it at home)
3. theres a huge billboard at asda in penryn saying "available in this area", but it isnt (although it is in mabe burnthouse a residential estate several miles up the hill).
4. the superfast broadband project in redruth uses a leased line in the innovation centre
5. 260+ postcodes enabled in redruth between december and february
6. no industrial estates in redruth enabled yet (barncoose, poole, cardrew, treleigh)
7. similar picture in falmouth, truro etc
8. several years into the project i still know businesses and people who cannot get any broadband at all
9. there are still no concrete/publishable timelines for helping these businesses or people
10. even when things get rolling FTTP is much more complex and slow to deploy (4 separate products allocated on a per-site basis)
11. some currently allocated as FTTP (ie delayed) are not going to get FTTP and as such will then be downgraded to FTTC
12. project leaders say we are "lucky" compared to the rest of the uk. strange that lucky equates to nothing, not even published timescales 2+ years into the project
13. the rest of the uk is rolling out superfast broadband at a similar rate so a cynical person may state that cornwall actually got superfast slower than everywhere else as BT postphoned the project when the conservatives paused the funding while continuing to roll out to areas that were not eligible for funding.
14. check out the businesses cited as having been enabled, they are either directly involved in the project or extremely small (e.g. the britannia inn pub, chacewater - the flagship of cornish industry
15. ill post again when one of our customers gets enabled i hope i am wrong and its soon
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