One of the longest running debates in the world of computing is about their fundamental nature: should they be open or closed systems? Open systems allow for the user to open the box, tinker with the programming, and customize their machine to be everything they want. Closed systems, however, allow for increases in security, the ability to ensure the user experience is ubiquitous and unhindered, and maintain the software without much hassle. These two disparaging views have been at play since the ability to create a product has been around.

One of the largest rivalries of the common computer era lies in the Microsoft versus Apple debate. Microsoft chose to follow the quasi-open system. While their operating system itself is primarily closed (the source code is not publicly available, though users can “tweak” different aspects of how it works), they freely entered into business deals to put their operating system on as many computers as possible. This led to a dramatic increase in marketshare as IBM bought huge numbers of their OS, and even more were sold as IBM clones (computers that had similar components as IBM, but were cheaper to make).

This is in contrast to Apple, the leading example of a closed system. From the very beginning, Steve Jobs insisted that the computer be made in such a way that the user could not tinker with the hardware or software. While this goes against some of the “hacker” ethos that he and many of his contemporaries shared, he ultimately wanted to design the user experience from beginning to end. This has proven successful as a business model for Apple as all of their products are basically a vertical monopoly; to get the most out of any one of their products, the user is encouraged to use other Apple products. While this may seem cumbersome and a business ploy to some, Apple has made the transitions between devices and the way in which they interact almost seamless, something that most Windows users do not rave about of their own machines.

Linux, in contrast to the quasi-open system of Microsoft and the completely closed system of Apple, is truly an open environment. Originally created by Linus Torvaldus as a variant of Unix, he published his work freely and encouraged that other users do the same. This has created, over the last 20 years or so, hundreds of “variants” of the Linux operating system, each customized for different tasks. Some, such as Ubuntu, focus on creating a user-friendly operating environment, while others, such as Puppy Linux or Damn Small Linux, are intended to run on extremely limited hardware and can breathe life into older machines. While the learning curve for Linux is a bit steeper than either Mac or Windows, the user has complete control over the system and its operating practices. Most users may not prefer this level of “nitty-gritty” details and the need to understand every aspect of the computer, but copmuter experts and hobbyists have shown that they truly love having control over their computers.

Each of these systems has very different advantages. Quasi-open can often lead to larger market shares, but less quality controls exist to maintain the user experience; closed systems offer complete control over the user experience, but more advanced users may make the transition to completely open systems where they can collaborate with others and design systems exactly to their desires. Because each of these systems offers different advantages, vary in their approaches to the fundamental opinion of computers, and, typically, vary slightly in their target demographics, they are sure to be around for quite some time.

What’s your preference? Are you comfortable on an open system? Or, do you like the feel of a closed system that provides a beginning-to-end user experience?

The annual CES convention has recently come to a close, leaving us with lots of new products, technologies, and services to sort through. While each CES brings its own style, this years may have fallen into a rather cliché year. While the phrase “evolutionary, not revolutionary” is often used (and overused) in the technology industry, it may just be the best way to describe this year’s events.

Some of the evolutionary product classes that saw modest improvements were OLED screens and lighter weight laptops. With 3D televisions making their way into consumers’ households, the television industry is looking for a way to continue improving their current offerings. While OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) has been around for a while, the sets continue to get larger screen areas, greater contrast ratios, and thinner constructions. As OLED screens continue to improve, it may find its way to smaller consumer devices such as tablets, or even combine with some flexible screen technology that debuted last year.

In addition, laptops continue to become lighter and thinner. The push for “netbooks” has been extremely large over the past few years. However, few have seen any significant success in the consumer marketplace with most opting for a tablet, such as Apple’s iPad, to meet that need. In the wake of the diminishing importance of netbooks, most laptops seem to be converging on an 11″-13″ screen size for their entry models and get larger from there.

Working its way somewhere into the tablet realm is Razer’s “Project Fiona” portable gaming device. Seen as a prototype, the device consists of a 10.1″ touch screen, a high definition display, the ability to run Windows 8, and two controllers on either side that look akin to the nunchuck component of the Wii. The tablet will have the full ability to run Windows 8 and full PC games, but will come in at a hefty sub-$1000 mark.

Also seen on the showroom floor was Blue Stacks, a program designed to allow Android applications to run on the new Windows 8 OS. With Blue Stacks, people and businesses can leverage the tools and options available from both Android developers, and traditional Windows support. Once Blue Stacks is seen in the wild, it could even the mobile playing field a bit in giving end-users more choices.

Many of the products and services at CES show potential to be great devices for the end-consumer. However, with many products being released as only prototypes or without much detail as to when consumers may get their hands on it, it is hard to spot a truly revolutionary product. That said, CES unveiled some great technology which is sure to keep everyone in the techno-loop for the next year.

Brrr… It sure is cold out there! There is no doubt that winter has arrived in the Midwest. These near-zero morning temperatures make it hard to get out of bed, let alone out the door for work. But, how can you cross off your to-do list while still staying warm and cozy by your living room fireplace? There are literally hundreds of tools available to help you be productive from home. Veracity operates as a virtual office, meaning that our team contributes from all across the country! How do we do it you ask? Here are some of the tools we use on a daily basis to ensure productivity no matter where we are working.

• File Sharing: As you know, when you are working together with a team, collaborating on ideas and documents is an essential part of your day. In a traditional work environment, you would just call a meeting in the conference room and get everyone together to iron out the details of your new proposal or idea. But, when you’re working virtually, you have to learn how to do this online.  Through programs like Dropbox, it is easy to save and share documents between team members. By downloading the program, everyone will receive the newest version of the document automatically. It works seamlessly just like a My Documents, or similar, folder would on your computer.
• Video Communication: You really can accomplish quite a bit over the phone. However, there are times when a face-to-face meeting can be helpful. So, for the times when ‘face time’ is necessary but just not possible, programs like Skype come in very handy. Skype is as easy to use as your cell phone, or email program. And, before you know it, you’ll be talking face-to-face with a co-worker or client who could be as close as an office down the hall, or as far as another country across the world.
• Screen Sharing: There have been numerous times that I have been trying to discuss an issue that I am having. But, over the phone, I was having trouble explaining what I was seeing on my screen. Or, what I was trying to accomplish. Skype offers Screen Sharing through its video communication platform. This also provides a great opportunity for groups to collaborate on presentations, documents, etc. By setting a group Skype call, then sharing your screen, everyone can have input on whatever it is that you are working on.
• Off-Site Computer Access: This is a tool that we don’t use as much since our team have laptops that they use for their work, versus an ‘office computer’. However, for those that do a majority of their work on an office computer, you may sometimes need to access that computer from home, while visiting family or even on vacation. LogMeIn is a program that allows you to access and control your desktop computer, while viewing it on whatever computer you are using. So, if you have an order manager or customer database manager that you sometimes need to access outside the office, LogMeIn is a great resource for you.

All of these programs are ones that we use on a daily basis, or have heard work great for creating your own ‘virtual office’! All of these programs are either completely free, or at least offer a free version. Depending on how much you will use them and what features you need will determine if you need to upgrade to a paid version of the program. So, here’s to working from home and staying warm! Have fun exploring these tools and, as always, let us know if you have any questions! You can connect with us right here on the blog, on Facebook, Twitter and through Veracity-Solutions.com. Talk to you soon!

Ticket Tracking is one of the most widely used ways of keeping tabs on burgeoning programs and integrated solutions. Ticket Tracking involves identifying problems or items which need addressed, sorting them based on type, and then ordering them in order of necessity. This technique is often used to easily fix the biggest problems and those that are most pressing before spending time on less necessary ones. Doing items in this order can save time and money by keeping teams working at optimum efficiency.

The entire process begins by submitting a ticket. One of the great things about ticket tracking is that tickets can be written by anyone who encounters a problem. Obviously during the programming or implementation of a new service, the team in charge will have the most contact with the task at hand. However, as projects burgeon out, or for web-connected projects which actively engage end-users, tickets can be submitted by actual users. Typically submitted through some sort of web form, this allows the team monitoring the incoming requests to get live data.

Once the actual ticket has been received, it is organized based on the category. Some tickets may be as simple as a misspelling or misplaced content. Others may be much more attuned to the actual performance of a given system. These are split into different categories such as Webmaster, Server Technicians, and Program Evaluations. Keeping these split into various categories keeps people working in their field of expertise and ready to actually fix a given problem, rather than create more confusion.

After each ticket is categorized, they are then prioritized based on how severe the problem may be. Ranging from cosmetic to vital, keeping a hierarchy of the tickets allows for teams to approach the largest problems first. This keeps the system running as best as possible, and then later smaller details can be worked out which affect user experience less.

Finally, after each of these steps has been completed, the ticket’s status is set to closed. This leaves a paper trail of the initial problem, which team was in charge, and what steps were taken. Having a history of changes makes it easy to spot if a new change happened to cause a glitch in the system later on. It also keeps everyone accountable and an easy way to view who is doing which portions of a project. Ticket Tracking keeps all of the members of a large project both accountable, but also able to work much more quickly and retain focus to benefit the overall project.

As with any project oriented workspace, specific actions need to be executed in a certain order to create the end product. With programming and computers, this often revolves around the Code Development Lifecycle. Programs are just like any physical product in terms of their development and implementation. They begin as a concept, simply an idea. Then, as the idea is fleshed out and realistic expectations are created, a plan of action is developed. Following prototyping to find the most efficient way of putting it all together, the actual build process begins. After a working model is on hand, different personnel test the program to make sure it is running as desired and is free of bugs. Once the test team gives their feedback, the programmers make final changes and a working program is at hand! We have a wonderful Code Development Lifecycle that expands upon these basic steps.

To begin our Code Development Lifecycle, we work with you to develop an idea. Sometimes clients bring us an idea of a specific program, other times they come with a problem and our team puts together an elegant solution. In either case, we are able to take the idea and examine it from all angles, making sure the tool is just the right size for the job, and doing our best to future-proof it for bigger and larger uses later.

After this, a set of concrete, measurable goals are developed. A timeline is often helpful to spell out when certain key features will be completed and working. This keeps the client and the team on the same page so that everyone knows when to expect working components.

Once all of these pieces are developed, they are put together and tested. This is where the testing team plays a huge role in the development. The first round of testing is simply to make sure that the code does what it is designed to do. Following this, the client is given the program to double check and make sure the rough version is working as expected.

After this, we pull all of the pieces back together, polish it up and finish any loose ends. And with that, a fully-funcitonal, working program is in order! If you would like to leverage this Code Development Lifecycle for your business, go ahead and contact us today. All great programs start with a need or an idea, so if you have either, let us know!

In a connected office-space, one of the biggest hurdles is keeping information organized and quickly accessible to everyone who needs it. Especially when transferring between local networks and home computers, or simply trying to collaborate on a project, knowledge sharing tools can be a huge help. In the past few years especially, tools such as Wikis, Dropbox, and Documentum have exploded in popularity and ease of use. From options for the general public to highly specialized versions for commercial use, each of these products has a definite advantage to keeping information organized.

To begin, most everyone on the Internet is familiar with Wikis. Obviously sites such as Wikipedia have created the largest splash in terms of keeping information available to all and easily verified and changed when needed. However, fewer people are aware that Wikis can be created individually for certain content. Additionally, a Wiki can be run on a local network. This would give a company the ability to consolidate lots of changing information into one quickly accessed and searched database. It also gives users various levels of control over the content to enable the most up-to-date information to be available to everyone on the network. This could drastically increase productivity between different teams working on the same project. Wikis keep information organized in a well-known manner, are easily updated with changing information, and can keep everyone informed on the status of all different aspects of a project.

Dropbox has recently seen a large spike in usage as well. Dropbox is a service to easily keep documents organized between multiple computers. As a small program on your computer, it allows you to add and save files just as you would with a regular drive or folder. The caveat is that it instantly uploads these documents onto their secure servers so that you can later retrieve them on another device. With support for PC, Mac, Linux, and many mobile platforms, Dropbox is able to quickly and easily synchronize files between computers to keep files linked and current, without the need to specially optimize a VPN.

For more emphasis on enterprise solutions, Documentum provides a complete solution for keeping information organized and accessible. With full support for cloud computing and retrieval, Documentum is a full-featured way to manage content across platforms and programs. It also allows for optimization of the information to be accessed by certain user groups. Security solutions are also built directly into the system. Controls can be configured from casual to secure data access to maintain integrity across the platform. Documentum offers some great features for enterprise solutions and could offer your company a leg up over the competition.

Each of these services offers a great advantage for you and your company, depending on your needs. Keeping information organized and readily accessible by those with proper credentials can offer a great advantage. In a business world as fast paced as ours, keeping accessibility and organization at the forefront is sure to pay off.

The IPv6 transition is already beginning to take place. Large companies such as Google, Yahoo, Apple, and Microsoft have all participated in “test” days where they relied primarily on IPv6 standards to ensure that it was ready for the kinds of real-world traffic that is to be expected. While most ISPs haven’t switched over to it entirely yet, many are beginning to look actively at what will need to be done to support the transition easily for their consumers. As a business or company with a website, it is also important to evaluate what steps can be taken to ensure that you are future-proofed and ready to tackle IPv6 head on.

To begin, IPv6 routers that are available now can begin giving you the benefits of IPv6, even if your ISP has not fully switched over yet. Due to a system of networking and the way the protocols interact, your entire network can benefit from this new technology right now. The benefits will largely come when both parties are using IPv6. For example, end-to-end IPv6 voice or video streaming will see a marked improvement as compared to traditional IPv4 communications. Utilizing IPv6 compatible routers would provide the largest benefit in an office or home network setting and allow all computers to take advantage of the new protocol.

Many consumer web hosting companies are switching to IPv6 as well. One of the largest in this field, GoDaddy, has already switched over to IPv6 capable machinery, meaning that companies and individuals that wish to utilize the new portions of the protocol can take advantage immediately. Additionally, in a study run in part by Infoblox, the US Government’s adoption of IPv6 has increased over 1900 percent in the last 12 months. While most government websites may see little gains from this transition right now, it is indicative of the changing Internet climate. To stay ahead of the curve, IPv6 support is needed now!

Whether you run your company server in house, or contract with an outside firm, begin looking at the additional benefits IPv6 may offer you. Not only are the technological advances worth noting, transitioning now will allow you to focus on optimizing user experience down the road, rather than hastily putting together a last-minute fix. The IPv6 transition is slowly beginning to affect mainstream users, so stay ahead of the curve and start looking in to updating your current technology today!

The times they are a changing… The Internet has gone through a few different iterations and growing pains to get to the point it’s at today. The inception of the Web was a major component, as well as “Web 2.0″ when dynamic webpages became the norm. Now is a time when the technical infrastructure of the Internet needs to change. Luckily, we here at Veracity have partnered with Infoblox to ensure the very best in network management and optimization.

As many people know, the current IP system, IPv4, is quickly approaching the end of its renewable addresses. This has spurned an advance to IPv6, a protocol able to handle even the most demanding number of possible clients in the world. As the years increase, more and more business and end-users will switch to the new IPv6. However, in that time, a sort of limbo will be in effect where computer systems will need to be able to handle requests from both protocols. This state of limbo may last for many years, even a decade, as network managers transition between the two.

Veracity is a Channel Partner with Infoblox. Specializing in network optimization and configuration, Infoblox brings a wealth of new blood and focus. Their expertise in the field of IPv6 offers a great benefit, and through our partnership, our customers can take advantage of that as well. The opportunities that lie ahead for them and for us will prove to be a great partnership!

Infoblox is able to provide additional network abilities and technologies to reduce overhead and increase efficiency. Whether it is a small or large computer network, Infoblox can evaluate your current offerings and optimize a plan to keep your business running strong.

This specialty in networking, in addition to Veracity’s own expertise, means that your company can be fully evaluated and computer networks improved quickly and easily. Additionally, our partnership means that the cost to you is less as we are able to share information and specialize in our respective areas, keeping your costs down!

Veracity is very pleased to be working with Infoblox. With a fantastic resume and client rapport, Infoblox brings a host of new opportunities and areas of specialty to combine with our years of experience. So whether you’re looking to optimize a few computers with new software or a complete overhaul of your network configuration and security to be on the front side of the IPv6 transition, allow Veracity and Infoblox to help you!

In today’s world, security is no longer an afterthought of a business model. As an increasing number of documents and transactions are conducted via computers, mobile devices, and smartphones, and as more and more data is being held on servers, ensuring security of information is paramount to a successful business. Since it is increasingly simple for “script-kiddies” to download and run predesigned software to inflict damage on websites and network security, ensuring that proper steps are in place is crucial for a stress free operation of any computer network.

To begin with, establishing a list of security risks is vital. It is always good to evaluate what measures are already in place before attempting to implement new ones. Often, existing security simply needs updated or tweaked to ensure a safe operating environment. Veracity offers a comprehensive look at security that exists, as well as where gaps exist and how they might be exploited. By understanding the intrusion side, we can better customize a solution to keep out unwanted guests and maintain complete security. For more information, try our security assessment. We offer a free evaluation to ensure that everything is running smooth and on track.

Once security holes have been established and a plan drawn up to ensure those needs are met, it is important to ensure compliance with all governmental and industry standards for security. Various forms of encryption tend to work well with this, especially on devices such as laptops, smartphones, and USB drives that are much more portable and, therefore, much more prone to being lost. A proper encryption system will keep sensitive information private, even if it were to fall into unscrupulous hands.

Another way to ensure security holes have been patched and encryption schemes are working well is to perform an intrusion test. This consists of an independent third party being given permission to test the network for additional vulnerabilities. Having someone who knows the same tricks as malicious hackers can be supremely beneficial as any last holes in the security can be found and patched quickly and without harm to sensitive information.

Finally, education is key to ensuring strong security. All employee passwords need to be strong and unique to the company. Additionally, a policy should be in effect to have passwords regularly changed. Simple things like keeping financial computers away from other tasks such as Internet browsing and email can make a huge difference in ensuring that viruses and trojans do not make their way into the system. Should something like that ever happen, Veracity Solutions offers great Disaster Recovery Solutions to keep things running, even in a crisis. Simple things like letting your employees know how to keep their personal computers secure and informing them of response plans will ultimately relieve stress and allow your computer system to run at maximum efficiency.

Here at Veracity, we are proud of our ‘virtual office’! Our employees communicate in different cities and states across the country on a daily basis. We know that face to face conversations are the easiest way to communicate clearly and effectively with someone. Whether discussing something important for business or communicating with family and friends, non-verbal clues are paramount in deciphering the message in the words. While it would be wonderful if everyone could always talk directly to the person they wanted, sometimes that just isn’t feasible. That’s where the joys of video calling come in! With technology today, you don’t even need a full computer or laptop to be able to see, in real time, people from across the country and the world! Today, we’re investigating three different options for video calling.

Skype
Skype is one of the oldest and most established video calling services online. Starting out as an internet telephony system and slowly adding more and more features, you can now video chat with a group of people as well as see someone else’s computer screen to help them with various tasks. Skype’s biggest selling point is the fact that it is completely cross platform. Skype works on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. There may be a few others, but that right there covers just about everyone who would ever want to video chat! Calling between any of them is free and they are known for having very good call quality.

FaceTime
Apple’s proprietary video calling service, FaceTime was released just over a year ago. It offers excellent video quality and works seamlessly on Mac and iOS devices. However, this is also its largest problem. It is not cross platform in any way, so both parties must be using an Apple device of some kind. While most people wouldn’t purchase an Apple product for FaceTime alone, it is a great feature and if you already have Apple devices on both ends, it will typically be the easiest to set up and use.

Google Hangouts
With the launch of Google+, Google is rolling out a video chatting service with up to 10 simultaneous connections. This is especially helpful for groups such as families or business meetings among different branches. Hangouts works on both iOS and Android, though you cannot initiate a video call from the mobile offerings. However, you can accept incoming invites, so all it takes is a person on a computer to invite you. Google Hangouts also runs completely in the browser so it is a little more lightweight than the others.

Each of these services offers various pros and cons for video chatting. Occasionally trying different services even on the same Internet connection will help due to the different ways in which they pass the video. However, each of these definitely has its own merits, so take a look into them for the next time you’re away on travel or want to see friends, family, and co-workers who happen to be too far away for a real face to face conversation.