December 2009
In this issue

√ The Power of
    Connections
√ Better Together
√ Ways to Work Quicker
√ "Networking" Corner
√ Client Spotlight
 

Over the past 15 years, IT Solutions has been very fortunate to grow each year for a variety of reasons. But the most important reason is the relationships we’ve built with our clients. We know that most of our growth is the result of connections we’ve made from referrals. In fact, most of the clients we have today came to us through other clients and business partners.

Over the years many of you have been kind enough to mention our name to a friend or colleague. Now we’d like to officially thank you. We’re launching a new referral program called "Don’t Keep Us a Secret!". If you refer a friend or colleague to IT Solutions and they become a SharedVision or block time client, we’ll give you $1,000. And we’re taking it one step further - we’ll give them $1,000, too. It’s all our way of thanking you and welcoming your friends and colleagues to our family. Click here to learn more.

While the idea of referrals and networking isn’t a new one, there’s much to be said about the power behind making connections. When you ask a friend to recommend a dentist or painter, more than likely you take their advice. If they’re happy, you will be too. We think the same holds true in business.

Because IT Solutions is uniquely positioned between businesses and vendors, we thought it was about time we helped our clients participate in our own network. Many of our clients have experienced similar success over the years, and we believe the diversity of our clientele will benefit all of you.

So, look for a few things from us in the near future: We’ve redesigned our monthly newsletter to include a few new features. Our new "Client Spotlight" will profile a different client each month, giving a brief description of the quality products and services they provide. And check out the "Networking Corner" which will focus on our favorite vendors. If you have a vendor or partner that you want to acknowledge, please let us know and we’ll be happy to profile them.

Over the next 15 years we’d like to see more networking and more connections. We can all be doing more business with each other, and collectively we’ll grow our businesses together. We only succeed when you do.

Lost in all the hype about the Windows 7 launch last month is the excitement around the simultaneous launch of Windows Server 2008 R2. There are probably a few reasons this launch has been so overlooked. First, as I mentioned, it came hand-in-hand with the desktop launch. Clearly, Microsoft’s marketing team doesn’t plan any "I’m a Windows Server" commercials to go along with their current "I’m a PC" campaign, so the masses will often not know about the server. Second is the naming convention. This is the second time Microsoft has chosen to stick the R2 moniker at the end of a server product name (Windows Server 2003 R2 started the trend) for some unknown reason. I realize they probably don’t want to go through a rebranding campaign every 18 months, but R2 doesn't add much excitement to a product launch. Make no mistake however; Server 2008 R2 is a substantial new product release with a wealth of outstanding new features, and something to certainly get excited about.

There is good reason why the new network operating systems was shipped the same time as the desktop. There are a ton of features that are designed to work specifically with clients running Windows 7. It’s clearly Microsoft’s hope that if the lure of Windows 7 on its own is not enough to force a desktop upgrade, the combined power of the two will push it over the edge. They may be on to something with this strategy. While some of the stand-alone or upgraded features are awesome (new versions of Hyper-V and Remote Desktop Services, better performance and scalability), it’s when you combine Server 2008 R2 with Windows 7 that you get all the real benefits.

First among the new features to get excited about is BranchCache. As the name would suggest, BranchCache is a technology that allows machines running Windows 7 in remote (or branch) offices to cache commonly used content for much faster access times and performance. This also cuts down on the bandwidth needed at these locations, saving money for the organization. Technology like this has long been available with expensive hardware and software solutions, but Windows Server 2008 R2 includes it right in the product, making it affordable and easy to implement.

Another exciting new feature is called DirectAccess. The technical specifications of this are well beyond the scope of this article, but basically, Direct Access is a method for remote users to connect directly to network resources without the cost and complexity of a VPN connection.

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Client
Spotlight

Domus Inc.

Founded in 1993, Domus, Inc. has flourished into one of Philadelphia’s leading marketing communications agencies delivering a mix of advertising, PR and internet marketing.

Domus is a new breed of agency: everything you want in an agency and nothing that you don’t. They often say they’re the "un-agency" because they’ve undone many of the traditional beliefs about advertising agencies. They help build clients’ businesses without the trappings of the traditional model.

Built differently than the traditional agency structure, Domus’ point of difference is their ability to create a customized team of specialized internal and external resources to fulfill each client’s unique needs, combined with an ability to expand and contract that team to accommodate clients’ needs as they change.

Because of their unique business model, Domus has the ability to service any type of client in any industry. Domus is experienced in working with clients in retail, packaged goods, technology, financial services, home furnishing, leisure and entertainment, education, professional services, chemical, healthcare and pharmaceutical. Clients are regional, national and international companies. Domus’ unique business model has attracted several national accounts: Aramark School Support Services, ConAgra Poultry, Dacor Luxury Kitchen Appliances, Tyco, Fisher-Price, Idearc Mid-Atlantic Yellow Pages, Lutron Electronics, OKI Data Americas and Novo Nordisk. Some of these were awarded to Domus over international conglomerate agencies.

Since 2004, Domus has been a client of IT Solutions. We provide full support for their servers and back-end infrastructure through our SharedVision Advanced Plan.

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