Sunday, May 24, 2009

New Podcast: The Value of KVM in ILO Enviroments

From HP website: “HP remote management gives you virtual presence, i.e. complete control as if you were in front of servers in datacenters or remote sites.”

Some IT managers believe HP iLO replaces the need for KVM.

We think differently. Learn why this is not the case in our latest Podcast: The Value of KVM in ILO Environments

Speaker: David Zucker, Director of KVM Business Development
Duration: 4:07 minutes
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Related Material:

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Interop Vegas - Day 1, David Zucker Twitter Updates

First photos from Interop Vegas.... Minicom in Wright Line booth #1861

Minicom's Video Display System is being used at the Wright Line booth.

Follow David Zucker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidzucker

Monday, May 18, 2009

Improved Out-of-Band Remote Access for Mixed Linux and Windows Clients Environments

Press Release:

Latest IP KVM extenders and switches provide enhanced security features, wider OS and browser support and a stylish, easy to operate user interface.

Minicom, a leading developer of KVM switches, extenders and access management solutions announced the release of an updated version for its IP based KVM product lines. These provide corporate IT staff with secure, BIOS-level, remote access to mission-critical server rooms and data centers.

Minicom's KVM lines offer enhanced web-based access supported by the highest AES 256 industry leading security encryption standard for safe communication and data transfer together with expanded support for Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers on Windows and Linux platforms.

“Secure, below the OS remote access to the corporate server room is a mission-critical task for business continuity at all times, across any OS or browser” commented Benny Hayumi Minicom KVM Product Manager “Our mission is to provide solutions that enhance the level of IT service in organizations. This we provide with the expanded platform and browser support and the enhanced security that includes a lower number of open TCP/IP ports and an advanced exclusive and active share-mode. Our new client GUI is extremely friendly and simple to operate”.

Customers that have purchased Minicom products in the past will be able to perform a simple field upgrade in order to benefit from these features and benefits.

For an online test drive of Minicom IP products and more information about products and solutions please visit the Minicom Website.

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Related Material:
White Paper: Remote Support using KVM IP Technology
Webcast: "Achieving Remote Server KVM Access to your data center" (22 min)
Online Test Drive: KVM IP Products Demo

David Zucker to Live Tweet From Interop Vegas 2009

David Zucker, Director of Business Development at Minicom is on his way to Vegas and will be live tweeting from Interop– you will be able to find him at the show at our Wright Line partner booth –#1861.

Sign up to follow his tweets at www.twitter.com/davidzucker

I will be posting a selection of his updates here, as well as my twitter feed. Follow us www.twitter.com/Minicom_IT

In addition, you can also follow live tweeting from the show via the clever Interop Back Channel with linked twitter accounts for attendees and a chat room. This is the first event we’ve attended with live tweets being streamed from one site – it’s a fantastic idea!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Upcoming Webinar: Synnex Presents Minicom's Cost Effective Solutions for Remote Access

Friday, May 15, 2009 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

In this Webinar, you will learn how to cost effectively upgrade your customers' data centers with Minicom’s IP KVM solutions. In today's unstable economy, many companies are slashing their IT budgets and reducing staff leaving little or no money for Data Center technology upgrades and stretching employees. With fewer resources, however, the need for remote access—and the associated increase in efficiency--is more important than ever before.
  • Leverage Legacy Hardware: Learn about Minicom’s unique “Real Needs” approach which allows you to transform your customers’ legacy KVM switches into IP KVM regardless of manufacturer
  • Be More Competitive: Offer a solution that provides your customers with the remote access they need for a reasonable budget
  • Earn better margins when selling Minicom products
  • Close sales faster, while saving your customers money
Join Synnex and Minicom to learn how you can provide your customers with crucial functionality on a budget, while earning great margins.


Friday, May 15, 2009 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

Space is limited - register early:

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Related Material:
White Paper: Real Needs "Boost Your ROI by investing in KVM IP Management"
Podcast:KVM IP Value Proposition (4:48 minutes)
Online Demo: KVM IP Products Test Drive

Monday, May 11, 2009

10 Tips For A Quick Business Continuity Plan

While the threat of swine flu is all over the news, there are numerous reasons to have a business continuity plan in case you need to run your business remotely.

I asked a question on some of my LinkedIn Groups to see what IT Managers and CIO’s were doing, if they didn’t already have a business continuity plan in place. While some of the replies were (to say the least) sarcastic, others were very helpful with their advice.

According to a member of the Network World LinkedIn Group that works at Cisco, "they have already been told that they can request to work from home if we have concerns about health risks." He also said that “at Cisco teleworking has always been encouraged and everyone I know already uses the VPN to extend their day and people often work from home, so the infrastructure is already in place”.

Another fellow member of the CIO’s,com LinkedIn Group that works in Mexico City shared his company’s emergency plan. They were forced to send 90% of the staff home and will now work remotely. If you are a small business and you don’t have a business continuity plan yet, you really need one and here are some tips for support remote operations:

1. Business Impact Assessment must be done quickly but only to define vital functions for the company, do not try to do a BIA for entire company at this moment. Have this definition communicated to all IT, Finance, Operations and Sales teams to set clear business priorities.

2. Test the remote operations today, assure the functions defined in point one, can be operated remotely (VPNs, Laptop) [Do not open or change security], Assign an IT team to assure remote access (monitoring, VPNs and leased links administration and applications availability)

3. Set a Help Desk focused to help employees to get a connection to company systems

4. Distribute IT team to support vital operations

5. Set collaboration tools now (chats, remote meeting, soft phones)

6. Write down and publish a communication Network, including names and procedures

7. Call your local sales contact for laptops (will be better if you know how many laptops are available around and delivery times)

8. Identify outside providers that can run some business functions temporarily (distribution, payroll, invoicing, collections, etc) and evaluate cost, viability and timing to deliver and recover the functions

9. Write down and publish the main policies and procedures that will apply in this contingency plan (e.g. no changes in users profiles are allowed, all employees will be able to request a VPN access, when the contingency finishes all access will be revoked)

10. Keep your CEO informed all the time, and request funds and approvals to support the contingency, do the figures to support 1 month of remote operations.

Please add more tips or ideas in the comments and I can update the list.

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Related Material:
Upcoming Webinar: Synnex Presents Minicom's Cost Effective Solutions for Remote Access
White Paper: Remote Support using KVM IP Technology
Webcast: The ABC's of Remote Management

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Fear of Swine Flu Prompts Business Continuity Plan

If you are a medium business owner, CIO or IT Manager, what can you do to protect yourself and the company you work for if the swine flu reaches your city or town? In a recent article “Swine flu prompts CIOs to prepare business continuity plans” some practical ideas were brought up about what can be done if you are forced to work from home. Some companies in Southern California are already taking measures to insure business continuity, in case of emergency.

Some of the highlights from the article:

Stephanie Balaouras, a principal analyst at Forrester Research Inc., said CIOs must check the limitations of the remote access technologies available in the organization to prevent what she described as a 'gotcha situation' -- believing the business is more prepared than it really is.

She goes on to say “having a workforce continuity strategy as part of a business continuity strategy and in addition to a disaster recovery strategy is an important investment across the business.” (click to go to full article)

This is good advice, but what if you don’t know where to start? How can Minicom help you be prepared and keep your server room safe and secure?
Take a look at our IP Control, the remote KVM gateway provides access and control of your computers and servers, no matter how distant, via a standard web-browser. It’s compatible with any brand KVM switch and gives you the power to access and reboot downed devices without having to be physically within reach. It’s affordable and ideal for remote support and remote service applications. If your IT Manager needs to work from home, the IP controls’ secure 128-bit SSL encryption insures secure remote access.
Want to try it out? Go to directly to our online product test drive right now. Don't wait, be prepared!

PR: Minicom Signs Distribution Agreement with Tech Data U.S

Press Release:

IT products distributor will carry Minicom's remote KVM and HD Digital Signage connectivity solutions

Minicom Advanced Systems – developer of KVM and Digital Signage solutions - signed a direct distribution agreement with leading IT products distributor Tech Data Corporation. Tech Data will offer Minicom's industry leading “last mile” high-definition multimedia distribution solutions for Digital Signage networks together with its diverse product lines of IP KVM and analog KVM switches, extenders and IT access management solutions for the server room and data center.

“This is a very important milestone for Minicom” said Saul Mishaan, President of Minicom America, “Tech Data offers us the winning combination of world-class service and the right channels into the IT and Digital Signage markets , be it VARs or system integrators. This gives us full confidence that this partnership will lead to significant growth in years to come. Opening a direct relationship with Tech Data gives our customers better visibility to our industry leading solutions and makes it easier for them to get service.”

“Tech Data and Minicom will continue to partner to ensure our customers have access to all the components they need to design, deploy and support cutting-edge digital signage solutions,” said Tech Data Vice President, Peripherals Product Marketing Wendy Linsky. “Tech Data supports Digital Signage VARs through our Digital Signage and Projector SBU, providing them access to the dedicated sales and technical resources and the latest solutions. In addition, we’ll distribute a complete line of Minicom KVM switches and extenders enabling more resellers to add these products to their data center solutions.”

Tech Data joins Synnex and Electrograph as national distributors selling Minicom’s products. The distribution agreement is effective May 1, 2009 and covers the entire United States.

About Tech Data
Founded in 1974, Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ GS: TECD) is a leading distributor of IT products, with more than 100,000 customers in over 100 countries. The company's business model enables technology solution providers, manufacturers and publishers to cost-effectively sell to and support end users ranging from small-to-midsize businesses (SMB) to large enterprises. Ranked 105th on the FORTUNE 500(R), Tech Data generated $23.4 billion in sales for its fiscal year ended January 31, 2008. For more information, visit http://www.techdata.com/


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Tech Data's top selling Minicom product is the Mini KVM Extender - The Mini KVM Extender is made up of 2 micro sized, compact units on both ends: the Transmitter unit that connects to the computer and the Receiver unit that connects to the KVM hardware. The Mini KVM Extender is a pure hardware solution making it both software and network independent. It connects PS/2 consoles to any platform - SUN, USB and PS/2.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Interop Las Vegas - May 17 - 21


Interop Las Vegas takes place in just a couple of weeks. Choose the most convenient way for you to connect and stay fully updated about this and other upcoming Interop events:

Follow Interop events on Twitter
Join the Interop group on LinkedIn
Read and subscribe to the Interop Blog

If you are going to Interop, check out their recent blog post on “Resources while at the show” – for some very good advice.

We will have Minicom reps at the show, which you can find at our partner Wright Line’s booth - #1861. They will be handing out a 60-day trial version of our latest remote access management system on DVD – so stop by to get yours for free.
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Can't make it to the show? Want to test the product on your own servers? Fill out a "General Information Request" form with "DVD demo" in the comments section and we will send it to you in the mail or if you prefer I can send you a link to download the ISO on FTP.